Touch Me
by InstantKarma83
Summary: Uchiha Sasuke, a famous Japanese rocker and closeted gay, has to live a lie for the sake of his career. What he ended up getting, however, was an obsession for an American stripper and a yearning for freedom. AU, Romance, Hurt/Comfort.
1. Part I

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto or its characters, nor do I make any profit from this fanfic.

**Warnings:** Contains yaoi, sexual acts/situations, and some foul language. If you cannot handle that, then do not read.

**Rated: **M

**Pairing:** SasuNaruSasu

**Summary: **Uchiha Sasuke, a famous Japanese rocker and closeted gay, has to live a lie for the sake of his career. What he ended up getting, however, was an obsession for an American stripper and a yearning for freedom. AU, Romance, Hurt/Comfort.

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**Touch Me**

**Part I**

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Sasuke sat down gingerly in a chair, removing his black sunglasses. His eyes instantly took to the dimly lit surrounding area. He let himself sink into the plush seat, wearily sighing, as he felt the day's stress catch up with him. Around him, numerous decorative tables were filled with mostly male occupants. The scent of fine cigar smoke permeated through the air and the sounds of music, laughter, and the clinking of glasses could be heard from the well-stocked bars that surrounded both sides of the large floor.

He was at the 69 Club in Shinjuku Ni-chōme. Owned in part by a _gaijin_, the famous, high-end, strip club and bar had opened well over two years ago, and offered a variety of interesting services, such as semi-nude dancers, stage shows, lap dances, peep shows, and bed dances. Modeled largely after American strip clubs, depending on how much an individual was willing to shelve out, one could have their needs met with the utmost discretion respected—at least, that's what Sasuke understood. This was his first time here. He wasn't usually the sort to go to strip joints, but this time, he really needed the diversion. He wasn't very worried about being discovered either, since he was one of the low-key members of his band, and was not, what he would consider, a variety-style star that was easily recognized. He was always able to go out without being hassled or followed if he was on his own.

A male waiter suddenly arrived at his table near the left stage—which Sasuke had reserved hours earlier—smiling politely at him, as he handed him the glass of whiskey he'd ordered beforehand. Sasuke merely nodded in thanks, promptly dismissing the man in favor of his drink. He welcomed the familiar burn, as the liquor smoothly glided down his throat. Gradually sitting back in his seat again, he ran his hand back and forth over the cold, wet glass, the cool feel of his leather pants rubbing against his legs, as he shifted. While most of the patrons present were dressed in dress-shirts and their best wear, he was wearing a designer leather jacket with matching pants, and a plain, low-necked, black shirt. He wore two black studs in his pierced ears, and two silver rings on his right hand.

It was standard wear for someone like him, as he was a guitarist in a considerably well-known, _visual kei_ rock band. He'd flown in from South Korea along with his band mates earlier in the afternoon, after finishing the Asian leg of their world tour. They'd done fourteen cities across twelve countries in the past two months, doing numerous press conferences, fan events, and television show appearances along the way. The performances had been a phenomenal experience, as they always were, but after two months of often not even knowing what day it was, he was glad for the week-long break they'd been given. It was partly because of this that he'd wanted to escape on his own for once, without heeding the calls of any managers, reporters, or fans.

The other reason was that he couldn't really indulge in the activities that were keenly relevant to him when he was constantly surrounded by his band mates and throngs of people—those activities being of the homosexual variety. He'd realized for certain, three years ago, that his tastes leaned more towards his own gender after a few failed relationships with women and a chance encounter with a male groupie after a concert in Kanagawa. It had been a heady and shocking revelation that at twenty-five had rocked his foundation. After the period of denial had passed, he'd managed to find it utterly ironic that millions of girls often launched themselves at him just for the chance to touch him, when he'd much rather have a hot piece of male ass wrapped around him instead.

About a year ago, he'd finally gotten the courage to come out to his band mates, who'd been surprisingly supportive of him. However, they'd all agreed that for the band's sake, they would keep his sexual orientation a secret for now, until they felt it was the appropriate time to make the announcement. Sasuke was more than fine with the choice, considering that he'd always been a private person, and was not ready to reveal something so personal. He was still trying to figure out how to live as a legitimately gay man in the Japanese rock world. Still, the pressure of maintaining that secret was occasionally burdensome. He had to feign interest in girls and answer questions about what his female type was, when in actuality, he had no female type—not anymore. Unfortunately, it was something that he'd have to live with for some time longer, and somehow, he'd have to find the strength to endure it.

The stage lights in front of Sasuke suddenly lit up, making him blink. He idly noted that the stage on the other side of the room, some ten feet away, did the same. It was show time.

The club DJ's voice was heard through the high quality speakers. "Gentlemen, a round of applause as the hour's entertainment begins!" Whistles, applause, and hoots were heard, as up-tempo dance music began to blare through the speakers. Sasuke sat back, his gaze revealing nothing, as a dark-haired man with pale skin came onto the stage, wearing white pants and a black shirt. At the other stage, a red-haired man came on the stage. Both men began to do individual routines to the music.

Sasuke clinically eyed the man in front of him, as he took off his shirt, revealing smooth, pale skin. He looked good enough, Sasuke thought disinterestedly. Unfortunately, however, the guy wasn't really his type, as nice as his body was. The rocker remained unmoved, admiring with cool detachment every bit of toned flesh that was revealed. Stripped down to a purple thong, the man swung around the pole attached to the stage, and the crowd around him applauded.

Sasuke's dark eyes merely followed the dancer as he pranced about on the stage, only moving to drink from his glass of whiskey. When the dance was over with less than ten minutes later, the man leaned against the pole, smiled, and lifted the side of his thong, revealing a trim hipbone. A few desperate-looking men rushed forward and promptly stuffed the empty space with yen bills.

Sasuke, in turn, sat there, casually nursing his drink. He was more than willing to give money generously, but only if he liked the dancer. Granted, with the lifestyle he led, it was hard to impress him these days. _Earn your damned coins_, he thought wryly, taking another drink, as the dancer slinked away. He sat there for another round, as another dark-haired dancer took the stage. He wasn't really to Sasuke's liking either, but the man was remarkably flexible, he observed, watching as the stripper did a split on the floor that had the nearby patrons cheering. By the time the dancer left the stage a short while later, Sasuke was on his third glass of whiskey.

He sighed heavily, suddenly feeling that perhaps going home wasn't a bad he liked to linger, but tonight he just wasn't into it_. Perhaps tonight just isn't the night for me_, he thought morosely. _I have too much on my mind, and it's been quite some time since I—_

Suddenly another stripper was announced by the DJ, interrupting his train of thought. "He's become legendary here in such short time. Gentlemen, please meet our proud American import, Naruto!"

_American? Yeah, right._ Sasuke sucked his teeth, taking one last sip of his drink before he stood up. He stilled, however, when he saw the new arrival take the stage. He was wearing a black suit and hat. He was also considerably taller than the other men that had previously been on before him. Sasuke noted that the men—and the few women present—around him clapped wildly now, yelling the man's name in near frantic adulation.

The man named Naruto ignored this and kept his head low until the music changed to a mid-tempo, hip-hop based song, with a driving beat. Suddenly red and white lights were whirling around on stage and the man began to move on stage. He flung his hat in a practiced move, the item settling a few feet behind him.

Sasuke blinked, as a full head of brilliant, blond hair was revealed, and a startling handsome face was exposed. He was definitely in his twenties. A strong jaw, slim nose, and wide eyes that flashed with a wicked gleam beneath a heavy fringe, made up a face that Sasuke found all too intriguing. There was no doubt that the man was a _gaijin_, he thought. He had a secret weakness for foreigners. He suddenly found himself curious to see just what color those eyes were.

The man then moved his left leg, rolling his hip sensually, as he yanked his tie free and unbuttoned the first few buttons of his white, dress shirt. He sent an entrancing, devilish smile at the crowd.

"Take it off, Naruto baby!" yelled a tipsy man around Sasuke's age.

The blond-haired stripper seemed to chuckle before finally yanking the shirt off his body on beat, revealing a very impressive upper body. Sasuke's dark eyes ran over the wealth of tanned skin that stretched over lean, taught muscles. Wide shoulders, firm pectorals, and the outline of toned abs could be made out clearly even beneath the muted lightning.

Sasuke suddenly became aware that his hand was hurting. Glancing down momentarily, he realized that he was holding his whiskey glass far too tightly. He eased his grip and returned to look at the dancer that now stood about two feet away in front of him.

He watched as the man tossed the shirt aside. Then suddenly, curious eyes were gazing back at him. The man seemed to blink at him before gradually smiling a teasing grin that made Sasuke shift in his seat a little. The foreigner's face lit up strikingly when he smiled, he thought.

The man named Naruto suddenly took a few steps closer. Swaying his hips on beat, he slowly began to lower the zipper of his pants. Sasuke was completely absorbed in the other's act, as the blond-haired male smiled at him again before looking at the crowd.

"Don't tease us anymore, Naruto! Take it off!" a woman screamed now, making others nearby cheer with her. She and her companions were practically drooling, Sasuke thought idly, before focusing his attention back on the object of his interest.

Naruto merely wiggled his brows in a teasing gesture before smoothly turning around. Then, on cue with a crescendo in the music, he yanked the remainder of the pants off. The result was an enthusiastic applause and an enormous increase in hooting and whistles. Some of the men even stood up.

Sasuke wasn't paying close mind to that, however. Not when his vision was filled with the most perfectly full, tanned ass cheeks, he'd ever seen in his life. They practically overwhelmed the small black thong the other wore, unlike with the other dancers that came out before him. The broad, bare back and naked cheeks had an instant effect on him, as his leather pants suddenly seemed too tight on him.

The blond-haired man suddenly turned back around and began to move provocatively to the rhythm. Sasuke's eyes, meanwhile, honed in on the impressive package that bobbed back and forth, covered by the flimsy cloth of his thong. The man seemed to be in a half-erect state, and even covered, Sasuke could tell that the man was certainly well endowed. Sasuke could just barely make out the tantalizing rod of flesh through the material. The rocker then tore his eyes away, watching intently the clenching and releasing of beautifully toned thighs and muscular calves. The muscles of the dancer's abdomen rippled with every elongated sway of his hips, and Sasuke watched, perfectly entranced. He unconsciously licked his lips.

The blond-haired man slowly dropped to the floor on his hands and knees, and crawled forward, sending an almost ferally seductive look his way. Sasuke smirked a little. _He's focusing on me_.

The performer then lowered the upper portion of his body to the platform floor, as his ass suddenly rose and dropped again. He repeated the motion slowly, three times, before speeding up the motion. Then, he rose fluidly onto his knees only a foot or so away in front of Sasuke. The dark-haired rocker held his gaze steadily. The man then spun around on his knees, showing Sasuke his backside again, as if knowing exactly what he wanted. The dancer then placed his hands on the stage floor and began to undulate his hips, closing his eyes as his head fell back.

Sasuke eyed the motion intensely, his eyes hooded. The enticing globes of tanned flesh clenched and jiggled with the man's movement's, and Sasuke found himself thinking, that if he could have his way—if he were alone with this man at this very moment—he would push the other's face down onto the floor and worship that ass properly.

The guy then lowered the upper portion of his body again, until his face was lying flat on the platform, and continued to undulate his backside. He then brought his hands beneath him, between his legs, to caress the inside of his thighs before slowly gliding upwards over the scantily clad area of his perineum. Sasuke nearly swallowed his tongue then. He dumbly watched as the other glided over the area with his fingers a few times, before gradually rising from his position.

Sasuke sat there for another five minutes as the other showed off his talents on the pole, rubbing his body against it, lifting himself, and performing a solid upside down split on it, much to the jubilation of others present. When the man's set was done, he crawled around, as everyone proceeded to practically rain bills over him. The man collected all the notes with a smile, letting several of the patrons stuff the sides of his thong with them. Then, he reached Sasuke. With a mischievous smile, the golden stripper leaned backwards momentarily, retrieving the hat he'd discarded. Then in a surprising gesture, he lifted a muscular arm and put the fashionable hat on Sasuke's head, to the amusement of the others present.

Sasuke blinked in surprise before smirking. He looked up languidly into those smiling, very _blue _eyes, and reached into his pocket. A moment later, Sasuke held the money between two elegant fingers, and watched with vague amusement, as the other's eyes widened slightly at seeing the amount he held. With a pleased smile, the blond-haired man scooted forward and spread his knees some. Then, with one hand, he lifted the _front_ of his thong a bit with a saucy smile.

Sasuke smirked back at him and licked his lips, casually placing the bills in the small space provided. Sasuke could just make out the top of the neatly trimmed curls of the other's pubic hair. From this vantage point, he could now also clearly see the defined outline of the other's veined-member through the ultra-sheer garment. Then the thong snapped back into place.

"Thank you," the blond-hair man told him in Japanese with a smile. He then rose and picked up his belongings, leaving the stage, with an alluring sway of his ass.

Sasuke watched him go from his table, reaching up to remove the hat from his head. Deftly spinning the fine black hat in his hands, he decided on one thing.

He _would_ be seeing this Naruto again sometime soon.

* * *

The following night, Sasuke sat on his leather sofa in his living room. He'd managed to spend the day with his two friends in Shinagawa. When he arrived home to his apartment in Roppongi Hills, he'd wandered around for two hours, not knowing what to do with himself. He'd lifted some weights and had browsed the internet on his laptop for a while before settling for watching television. Sitting around and watching television for hours wasn't something he was used to these days, however. He was usually a nocturnal person. As he was a musician that was used to playing nighttime gigs, he often stayed up until the wee hours of the morning either relaxing in the hotel room, at after parties, or writing songs.

Now, however, as he mindlessly switched channels, his mind kept drifting back towards the American stripper from the night before. Sasuke found himself absurdly curious about him. The large blue eyes, blond hair, and those impressive physical _assets_ had stayed within his mind's eye. There was that voice of his too, Sasuke thought. It had been a surprisingly husky baritone. He was admittedly curious to hear what that voice would sound like in a full conversation.

Heaving a sigh, Sasuke decided that he was fed up with wondering. He'd been planning on waiting until the weekend to return to the club but…

_Fuck it. I'm going._

About a half hour later, dressed in his leather jacket, dark jeans, a black shirt, and boots, he arrived at the club by taxi. As it was a Sunday night, not many people were present within the large, dimly lit room. There were two dancers on the respective stages doing routines, but Sasuke paid no mind, instead heading for the main desk.

"Ah, good evening! How can I help you, sir?" said the smiling grey-haired clerk. Dressed in a dress-shirt, with his hair spiked strangely to the side, he wore a red contact in one eye, whereas the other one was dark. _Must be an otaku nerd_, Sasuke thought.

"I'd like to request for a room service."

"Fantastic! Would that be a champagne room service? And would you prefer the large room suitable for several guests or the smaller, private room?"

"Um, sure. And private."

The clerk began to type on the flat-screen computer in front of him. "How long would you like it for?"

"Half-hour, I guess," Sasuke replied after a moment of pause.

The man typed in the price. "Is there a particular brand of champagne you'd like, sir?"

Sasuke shrugged. "Just give me the best you've got."

The clerk nodded. "This comes with the lap dance service. Is there a certain dancer you have in mind or would you like us to provide you with one based on your preference?"

Before Sasuke could open his mouth, the clerk leaned in a little. "If you want to watch your favorite perform a little show of self-pleasure, we do offer _nozoki beya, _or you can buy_extra _services_, _you know," he said with a wink.

"No thanks," Sasuke replied, beginning to get annoyed. "I just want the _gaijin_ for the lap dance."

The clerk's eyes widened with recognition. "Ah, Naruto! Very well then. You're lucky. He's on his last hour shift for the night. We'll let him know so he can get prepared."

The man then tallied the total on his computer and generated the receipt. Sasuke readily paid for it with his credit card, having more than enough funds to pay for a lap dance every hour of every day, if he wished for it.

"Now, you are aware of the rules? No touching unless the dancer allows you to, and any sign of unwarranted harassment will be dealt with by immediate removal from the premises," the clerk said in an almost absent monotone. Sasuke could only imagine how many times a day he repeated the same warning.

Sasuke nodded.

The man smiled. "Good." The clerk then picked up his headset from where it lay near the computer keyboard and spoke into the mic. "Ino, my dear, go inform Naruto that he has a lap dance in champagne room A secured, starting in ten minutes. Thank you."

The clerk then smiled at Sasuke. "Very well then. One of our hosts will be escorting you to your room in just a moment, Uchiha-san. If you need anything, my name is Kakashi."

The man was quick, Sasuke thought to himself. Sasuke hadn't told him what his name was, but the man had apparently garnered his name from his card. The rocker nodded, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

A moment later, a slender looking young man with short brown hair guided him from the lobby towards the back. Two hallways split off towards the left and right. The host led him to the first room on the left, which had a large, red velvet curtain instead of a door. Then he pushed aside the curtain and instructed Sasuke to make himself comfortable on the large red couch in the corner of the room. The room was about the size of a bedroom with adjustable lighting that was currently set on low, to provide an intimate atmosphere, and there was soft, seductive music playing from the speakers located in the upper corners of the room. The floor was well carpeted and there was a large rectangular mirror on the wall, opposite the couch, that was almost the width of the wall itself.

Sasuke did as the host said, idly eyeing his surroundings. He was admiring the pleated, velvet-lined walls when a minute later, the host came back with a tray that had Dom Perignon chilling in a bucket of ice and two glasses. He then set it on the lacquered mini-bar near the couch. Sasuke then politely declined the host's offer to pour him champagne.

"Just press the button on the wall if you need any further assistance. Your dancer will be with you in just a few minutes," he said, before leaving. The curtain closed with a 'swoosh' behind him.

Sasuke sat there, propping an elbow on the arm of the couch, anxious with anticipation. A few times he'd gone to some strip clubs with the band—heterosexual strip clubs. Logically, due to that issue alone, Sasuke found the outings more annoying than fun. The only thing that made those experiences worse was when the strippers offered to sleep with him, and free of charge—it was beyond awkward for him.

Sasuke was gingerly picking at the lint on the arm of the couch when the curtain was suddenly pulled back, and in walked the man that had been on Sasuke's mind for most of the day.

The blond-haired American was wearing a short-sleeved, v-necked, black shirt that stood out against his unusual coloring. He also wore form-fitting shorts of the same color that barely reached mid-thigh and ankle-length boots. He then smiled. It was a confident smile that Sasuke warmed up to instantly.

"Hello there," Naruto said, letting the curtain close behind him. "My name's Naruto. I'm pleased to meet you," he said with a slight bow.

Sasuke nodded, standing up. _He has no accent_, he thought, vaguely impressed. He also noted that they stood at practically the same height. Sasuke was taller than the average Japanese man—something he found out when visiting an informative variety television show with the band not long ago.

"I know your name," Sasuke returned smoothly, with a slight smirk. "My name's Sasuke. You might not remember me, but—"

"You were the one from last night. The guy near the stage, right? I remember," Naruto said with a lopsided grin. "I like to focus on a face in the crowd. You have a very nice face that one can't easily forget. And, I especially can't forget someone who offers money so generously," he teased.

Sasuke's smirk grew. "You're very upfront." He liked that.

Naruto chuckled. "It's a very American quality, isn't it?

Sasuke nodded. "It is. By the way, you may speak English around me. I understand it perfectly," he added, switching to the language at the last.

Naruto's eyes widened. "Really now?" he murmured in English, looking surprised and pleased.

"Yes, really," he replied easily.

Naruto smiled. "Well, then I think we'll be getting along great. I'll take good care of you, Sasuke-san."

"You can call me Sasuke, and please do," the dark-haired rocker murmured, his eyes skimming over Naruto's face.

Naruto gave a grin before nodding, gesturing towards the couch. "Please sit down. Would you like some champagne?"

Sasuke sat down, nodding. "Yes, please." In actuality, he could do without it, but he'd agree to the offer to have an excuse to see the other in motion. Naruto was too interesting to look at.

"You know, I'll admit, I was surprised when I heard that someone had secured the champagne room and asked for me," the other said, using his thumbs to open the bottle. It opened with a faint 'pop'.

"Why is that?" Sasuke asked, watching as the champagne was poured into the two glasses.

"Usually the men that want private services ask for…" Naruto paused as he thought of the appropriate phrase.

"The weirder shit?" Sasuke supplied with a raised brow.

Naruto laughed. It was a warm, husky chuckle that Sasuke liked very much. "Yeah, that says it nicely," he handed Sasuke a glass and set the bottle back into the bucket. He raised his own glass. "Bottoms up," he said with a wink.

Sasuke let out a snort. He took a nice, long sip, the fizzy liquid bubbling on the tip of his tongue before making its way down his throat. It was cool and crisp. He still preferred a Scotch on the rocks, however.

Naruto, made his way around Sasuke, glass in hand. As he did so, Sasuke was granted a close view of the other's ample rear-end, which looked pleasing in those shorts. _To say the least_, he thought slyly.

The blond-haired stripper sat next to him, with only an inch or two separating them. "So, wanna tell me how you know English? It's very good. Your accent is light," he said, raking perceptive blue eyes over Sasuke's face.

Sasuke hummed. He turned slightly towards the other to better look at him. "I went to bilingual schools here in the city. Graduated from Aoba."

"Aoba International?"

Sasuke nodded.

"Wow, so you had some good education," Naruto said consideringly.

He shrugged.

Naruto took another sip of the champagne. He then seemed to study the glass. "So…what exactly do you do by day?"

"What do you think I do?" Sasuke queried back.

Naruto glanced at him with a crafty look. "I'm not sure, but whatever you do, it must pay well. Not everyone strolls up in here and buys Dom Perignon. It's also a Sunday night. Not the most ideal night for salary men to get their kicks," he said matter-of-factly.

Sasuke inwardly smirked. The man was astute. Normally he didn't like people as observant as he was, but it pleased him that this stripper wasn't a completely dumb simpleton. "You're right, and I am not a salary man. What I do, however, I'm keeping to myself. Are you always this inquisitive with customers?" he countered with vague amusement.

Naruto smiled, the slightest hint of a dimple flashing in his right cheek. This, Sasuke also liked. The man's teeth were white and even, which meant that he most likely took good care of himself. "I guess I can't help it. I don't often get to speak in English with customers, so I guess I'm getting carried away," he shrugged with an apologetic smile.

"What kinds of customers do come here, if I can ask? We've established that they often ask for weird services."

Naruto chuckled. "Right. Well, we usually get young clubbers, closeted salary men, and big bosses, or sometimes television personalities. But like I said, they normally don't talk a lot, as much as they _touch_," he said wryly.

Sasuke hummed. "If they did talk more, would you talk back to them as much?"

"Probably not," the other admitted with an inclination of his head.

"How come?" he asked curiously.

Naruto blinked, sending him an intimate smile. "Because none of them are as interesting as you are."

Sasuke felt something warm unfurl deep within his gut. The way the other had said that did something to him. He didn't want to think that it was his ego responding, because after all, the man might be lying, but…he _really_ didn't want to think so at this moment. "I'm flattered."

"Heh. I won't boost up your ego too much with words, because I'm sure you know you're gorgeous," the blond-haired dancer suddenly quipped, taking Sasuke's glass out of his hand. He set it on a small stand near the couch in the corner, along with his, before returning to his position. This time, however, he was closer to Sasuke. His right thigh, touching Sasuke's left. "But if you're ready, I'm ready to _show_ you just how much I think so," he murmured, sending Sasuke an insinuating smile.

Sasuke swallowed. "I'm all yours," he replied, his tone low.

Naruto smiled. "Good," he replied, rising fluidly. He glanced down and stepped forward, pushing Sasuke's jean-clad legs apart with his knees. "Just sit back and enjoy," he instructed softly.

He began to move then, gently, subtly to the soft music coming through the speakers. His well-groomed hands ran up his own sides, then up to his neck, before running back down his chest, until they reached his pelvis, his hips swaying gently all the while. His fingers then toyed with the hem of his t-shirt, lifting it up slightly, before bringing it back down, his blue eyes rapt on Sasuke's.

Sasuke held his hooded gaze, anxious for what would come next.

After a few more times of repeating the action, the blond-haired stripper gradually began to lift the shirt up his midriff, and over his chest, until he finally lifted his arms, and removed it. He deftly tossed it at the opposite end of the couch.

Sasuke stared at the expanse of skin that was revealed. The man had a beautiful chest with dusky brown nipples that were neither too big nor too small. It was as he stared at the other's chest, that he noticed the charm dangling in the center. It was an intricate gold leaf attached to a gold chain that hung around the other's neck. _I've never seen a leaf that looks like that for a charm_, he thought vaguely, before hands suddenly covered up his view. Naruto was running them over his body again. The sight of the tan hands roaming over his bare skin up close, instantly had desire pooling low in Sasuke's groin.

"Do you like what you see?" Naruto asked huskily.

"You know I do," Sasuke replied absently, his gaze fixed on the other's hands.

Naruto chuckled a little. "Well then I'll give you more to like." Naruto's hands suddenly ran down his chest until it reached his pelvis. Sasuke could see the defined lines of the other's musculature where the hip joined the leg, the elastic shorts were that low. Naruto was then running his hands gently over his abdomen, tracing little patterns until they travelled back downwards and reached the visible bulge of his dick. He stroked it gently once, then twice, under the supervision of Sasuke's heated gaze, before rising to hook his thumbs beneath the band of the shorts. "Shall I take it off?" Naruto asked in a teasing tone.

Sasuke raised an elegant brow, as if saying, "_Obviously"_.

Naruto gave a light huff of laughter. He then slowly turned around, presenting Sasuke with his broad back. The blond-haired tease then looked over his shoulder with a smirk, and began to lower the shorts, inch by inch. Slowly, two dimples perched at the small of his back were revealed, and then—to Sasuke's pleasure—the tanned, round, globes of his ass were fully unveiled. The thinnest, black g-string rode between those cheeks, and Sasuke absentmindedly found himself thinking that it would've been better if the other hadn't worn anything at all. Naruto quickly divested himself of the shorts, tossing it on top of his shirt in the corner.

"Do you wanna touch? Just don't get too fresh," he warned lightly when Sasuke's hands were midway to touching him.

Sasuke, however, was only paying attention to him with half a mind. When he felt the skin of the other's back, he thought it felt like touching corded silk. It was smooth and yet firm with strength. Sasuke's steady, pale hands then ran down the back once, before rising, and travelling back down again. Then, he _finally_ got to run his hands lightly over the fantastic ass that fascinated him. He couldn't decide yet if he liked it more than the blond-haired man's eyes, but it was close. He skimmed the firm buttocks for a moment, readying to squeeze them until he felt Naruto's hands grasp his own. "That's enough for now. Now let me do my thing," he assured, with a roguish smile.

Sasuke sighed quietly. He would pout if it were in his character to do so. Instead, he complied and returned his hands to his lap. Naruto then began to move his hips again, rotating them slowly, seductively. Sasuke felt himself harden in his pants, as he watched the muscles in Naruto's back work and the muscles of his ass clench and release. Naruto then bent over slightly and ran one finger over the crack of his ass. He did this repeatedly, before moving lower for a moment, and then rising again. Then, Naruto finally backed up on him, pressing his backside to Sasuke's groin, as he braced on Sasuke's knees.

_Shit. _Sasuke opened his legs further, rubbing his sweaty palms against his upper thighs, since he could do nothing else. He watched, as the tanned ass rubbed in gentle circles against the area, before switching rhythm and moving up and down, instead. Sasuke could feel his neck begin to perspire.

Naruto then stood upright and turned. There was a brazen smirk on his handsome face, and Sasuke watched, as one tanned hand ran down that bare chest again, to eventually glide over his half-hardened, clothed erection. It was barely contained by the elastic pouch, which Sasuke realized, was sheer. _It would be so easy to rip it apart_, Sasuke thought brashly.

Naruto then laid a hand on Sasuke's chest, running it gently across the breadth of it for a few moments, before he finally brought his other hand to join it. He then gripped the lapels of the jacket. "How about we make you a little bit more comfortable," he suggested smoothly. Sasuke barely had time to reply before insistent hands were pushing the jacket off his shoulders. Sasuke aided him. He then tossed the jacket aside on the edge. Naruto then ran hands along the other's nape. "You have great shoulders. You must work out, huh," he murmured admiringly.

"When I can," Sasuke managed to reply, his eyes travelling down the other's long body.

"Good, then that means you can handle some weight," the other said, before unexpectedly turning around, and settling himself in Sasuke's lap. Sasuke could feel his body warm up a few more degrees.

"Relax," Naruto soothed upon hearing the other's intake of breath. He leaned back fully against Sasuke's chest. "Just feel."

Sasuke grunted, thoroughly overwhelmed with the sensations the other's body simply being on his gave him. Slowly, Naruto began to move on him, rotating his hips repeatedly on what was now a full hard on. The motion caused the cloth of his boxers to rub deliciously over the sensitive skin of his cock, and Sasuke felt as if he were caught between heaven and hell, knowing that his own actions were limited. Naruto then reached up with one arm and wrapped his hand around the back of Sasuke's neck, as he turned his face into the crook of the other's neck. Sasuke could feel Naruto's breath puffing against his sensitive neck, and Sasuke instantly brought his face closer. _He smells wonderful_, the dark-haired rocker thought. He knew that he would forever associate the fresh, sensual smell with the blond-haired dancer.

As he inhaled the other's intoxicating scent, Sasuke found himself imagining what it would be like to reach beneath the warm body on top of his and tear the flimsy piece of cloth that kept the other covered to his eyes. Then he would unzip himself, slick himself up, and plunge in between the meaty globes that felt so divine on him. Yeah, he would do it—if he were allowed to.

"Does it feel good?" Naruto whispered into his neck. It was a breathy, husky question that made Sasuke's aching length throb more within the confines of his pants. He could feel himself leaking.

"Yeah," Sasuke breathed back.

Naruto then reached down and grabbed his hands, where they were at his sides. He positioned them on his tanned, near-naked hips, and held them there firmly with his own hands. "You can touch me here, but keep them there." He then wound his right arm behind Sasuke's neck again and began to gyrate harder, rubbing his ass against Sasuke's erection. The rocker controlled a near-gasp from escaping. The friction was simply unbelievable and he found himself squirming slightly into the couch instead of bucking up into the other's ass, as he so fervently wanted to.

"Damn," he suddenly muttered in Japanese. He could suddenly feel the pleasure increase by various degrees. The familiar ache concentrating in the center of his groin began to intensify. "I…Naruto."

"It's okay. Cum if you want to, Sasuke. Let it go," the other urged softly.

It had been too long since the last time Sasuke had found a physical release. He couldn't hold out anymore. The words instantly triggered a signal in his brain that quickly ran through the rest of his tense body. Without warning, the concentrated pleasure grew within him until it burst like a firework, and he came with a quiet sigh, his mouth open alongside the other's brow.

Feeling Sasuke shudder, Naruto soothingly rubbed the rocker's neck with one hand, and rubbed his thigh with the other. He continued to rub for a few minutes until Sasuke's breathing had returned to normal. Naruto then lifted his head slightly and looked at Sasuke. "Felt good, huh?" he said with a bright smile, as if they hadn't just done a naughty act.

Sasuke unexpectedly found himself giving a lopsided smirk. "Yeah," he replied with a shake of his head.

'_Good' doesn't even begin to describe it_, he thought to himself with satisfaction.

* * *

"What do you mean?" Sasuke spoke into his cell phone the following afternoon. He was at Ukaitei restaurant in Shibuya with his two friends. Seated at a small cubicle near a window, his friends were currently digging into their meal of grilled snapper wrapped in seaweed. Sasuke had been doing the same until his band manager called him.

"Yeah, I've been working on them." A pause ensued. "Yeah, because I'm one of the lucky few who get to work while on vacation," he remarked dryly. Sasuke listened in with half an ear as the man with the familiar raspy voice informed him with the latest news regarding their tour on the other end.

"Wait, what?" he said after a minute, in response to something that was said. "_Two more_ dates?" Sasuke sighed. "What's the point of declaring the Asian leg over with if it isn't really over with, then?" he snapped. "Look, you can talk to me more about this later. I'm eating. _I'm eating_. Goodbye, Hamura," he dismissed, pressing the end button on his cell phone. He promptly put it on silent.

"So I take it that more performances are still to come?" Shikamaru said wryly, as he observed the other across from him.

"They're working you hard, huh, Sasuke," Jūgo said next Shikamaru.

Sasuke sighed, shaking his head slightly. "The band wants to close the tour off in Japan. We've been offered the opportunity to play at the Dome."

Shikamaru's eyes widened. "Tokyo Dome?" At Sasuke's nod, he smiled. "Wow. That's an honor, Sasuke. Bands work for years to get the opportunity."

"I know," he said softly. Playing at the Tokyo Dome was not something easily achieved in the _visual kei_ rock world. Granted, they weren't as _visual _anymore, having leaned more towards mainstream in terms of their looks in the past two years, but their music was still a symbol of it. "It's strange. I thought I'd be more excited about it."

"What do you mean," Jūgo, inquired. The tall man set his chopsticks down and paid close attention.

Sasuke shrugged. "It's hard to explain," he replied, reaching over and taking a sip of the Coca-Cola he'd ordered.

Shikamaru observed his friend closely. He'd known the other for ten years now, and had been his friend throughout good times and bad, just as Jūgo had. As of late, he'd realized how much the stress of his rocker lifestyle was affecting him—more so after he came out. Shikamaru felt like he could only do so much, being a non-band member. "Sasuke, you need a long vacation, man," he said, picking at his food.

"Believe me, I know."

"Why don't you guys go on a hiatus? It doesn't have to be long. Maybe six months," Jūgo offered.

Sasuke snorted derisively. "It's easier said than done. We just secured a chance to submit a song for another soundtrack, we're doing a tour, _and_ doing the Tokyo Dome in a month and a half. That won't be happening. We're peaking and…it's fun, but…"

"But it's overwhelming," Shikamaru finished for him. "Sasuke, I really think you need to consider the hiatus thing when the tour is over. Even a six-month break or _something_. Your situation isn't quite like the other guys in the band. I know it has to be lonely on the road sometimes."

Sasuke blinked absently at his glass of soda, watching as a rivulet of condensation travelled down its side. It was too difficult at the moment for him to voice just how correct Shikamaru was with that last statement. Lonely was how he felt when the guys in the band were talking about girls and he felt inclined to retire to his room instead. Lonely was how he felt whenever he spotted a gay couple strolling together. Lonely was how he felt when he had to go to clubs on his own. Although he hadn't felt so lonely last night, he thought, an unbidden smile suddenly curling at the edge of his lips.

"Creepy. What was that, Shikamaru?" Jūgo remarked, leaning close to Shikamaru's side.

"I believe that was a rare phenomenon with Sasuke called the 'secret smile'" Shikamaru replied in a conspiratorial tone. "Don't blink. It might never happen again."

"You guys are idiots," Sasuke snorted.

Shikamaru chuckled. "Seriously though. What was that about?"

Sasuke shook his head, crossing his arms. "Secret smiles are secret for a reason."

"Well now we've been exposed to the secret smile. So tell us," Jūgo insisted, sipping from his water.

Sasuke shook his head again. "When I'm ready to, you will be the first to know," he assured steadily, sending a teasing smirk.

Shikamaru sighed, knowing they weren't going to get anything out of the other. His stubbornness was enough to drive even the most patient man crazy sometimes. "Just tell me this. Whatever this _thing _is…is it good?"

Sasuke considered the question for a moment, a smile playing at is lips again, as he thought of the verbal exchange that he'd had with the blond-haired stripper. "Yeah."

* * *

Naruto sat at his dresser in the 69 Club, sipping a can of soda, as he flipped through a magazine. He'd already performed twice for the night. After having showered, he put on a new set of clothes, consisting of a white shirt, black shorts, and boots. He actually preferred jeans, but apparently, the patrons liked to see him in shorts, as was informed to him by Kakashi. _Whatever brings in the money_, he'd told the older man in response.

Although he did have his limits. There were certain acts he simply would not do. He never did full-on nudity, for instance, preserving what little modesty he could afford. His more money desperate coworkers willingly submitted to it on the nights when the parties really became wild. Naruto also didn't take well to _nozoki beya_. For some reason the country's men had developed, what, in his opinion, were the strangest fetishes, one of the most popular being watching people shower or bathe from a peephole. He understood voyeurism, of course, but why watch, when one can participate up close, he felt. He also didn't allow manhandling of his private areas without consent. Some of the drunker, bleary-eyed salary men often became far too physical for his liking, particularly in the private rooms. On a few occasions, he'd punched the lights out of some of them, for shoving their hands in areas they weren't supposed to—not that he _had_ to fend for himself. They had three strapping bouncers that regularly patrolled the club to provide assistance and security.

More often than not, however, Naruto enjoyed his job. The amount of money he made was more than enough to satisfy his monetary needs. There were things he wanted to do and places he wanted to go to, and when he had vacation days, he could do a lot of that. Admittedly, he also liked being the center of attention, and his job kept him in an unambiguous spotlight. Although that also had some drawbacks, and he'd had to sacrifice quite a bit due to that. In the past two nights, however, he'd been experiencing the benefits of his job.

Naruto smiled a little. Sasuke was a type of man he didn't get to see very often. When he'd taken the stage two nights earlier, the man's moody good looks had instantly attracted his attention. The thick ebony hair, regal features, and searing dark eyes that seemed to have the power of a magnet, had drawn him in like a moth to a flame. Rarely were the men ever that good looking around here or quite that generous. When he'd returned to the dressing room Saturday night, he'd been surprised to count a total of 70,000 yen from him alone, after his stage performance. He'd felt shocked, flattered, and unmistakably grateful. When the man had returned last night and asked for him, Naruto knew that he'd wanted to give him a good one-on-one show. He liked to think that he was always good, but he had to acknowledge to himself that he wasn't always motivated to perform enthusiastically for every patron. Last night, however, there wasn't any doubt that he'd wanted to show off for Sasuke. With most customers, he had to fantasize that they were the type he'd want to do this for, but with Sasuke, he found the man very attractive in person, and genuinely enjoyed the reactions he could bring forth from the dark-haired man. It had been a true pleasure.

Naruto set the magazine aside on the dresser, leaning his head back against the chair he sat in. The dressing room was a well-lit, large, rectangular room that held several small stations for the dancers. It also had two small shower stalls, a bathroom, and small table for eating. Naruto glanced at the clock on the far left wall. It was already midnight. As it was a Monday going on Tuesday, it wasn't that full and activity was slow. He glanced over as one of his coworkers came in from the main floor, shoving aside the curtain.

"I need water," Sai declared. The pale-skinned dancer with short black hair had been away for a good half-hour. Clad in a blue thong, the man grabbed a towel he'd left at his personal station, which was next to Naruto's.

"Worked your ass off?" Naruto quipped, his eyes alight with humor, as he handed the other a water bottle from the small fridge they kept between their dressers. A year older than his own twenty-five years, the dark-haired, Japanese native had been working at the 69 Club from day one. Naruto was fond of Sai, even though the bastard had come onto him at their very first meeting. Ino had assured him afterwards that it was a strange form of hazing the other tended to do, and that considering that he hadn't beaten the other blue for it Naruto had passed. During the times when he'd thought he'd have a nervous breakdown over various situations that had arisen over the last year and a half, Sai had always offered a shoulder to lean on.

"Thanks," Sai replied, accepting the bottle. After a long sip, the other sighed, proceeding to wipe off his chest. "You look like you're ready to go home."

Naruto smiled. "I think I am. Tomorrow I have some studying to do."

"Getting ready for those final exams, huh?"

"Yeah. The time is almost near. A few more weeks and it's all over with," Naruto replied.

"I can't believe—"

"Naruto," Ino suddenly stuck her head past the curtain. The pretty, blond-haired girl had been working there as a host since the beginning. She was one out of two females who worked there. "You're needed for a champagne room service in fifteen."

Naruto sighed. "Really?" he murmured somewhat unenthusiastically. "Any idea who it is?"

"Cheer up. It's that hot guy from last time," she said with a smile.

Naruto suddenly felt a sliver of excitement course up his spine. _Sasuke_. "Is that so? Hey! Before you go, why don't you tell Kakashi to arrange it for room C?" he requested.

"Ooh, something different, huh? I'm on it," Ino said with a wink.

Sai looked at him. "I don't know how you do it. You always get the good ones."

Naruto chuckled, looking like a satisfied cat. "I'm good."

Fifteen minutes later, after a quick wash-up and a few light sprays of AXE, Naruto redressed in his previous clothing, and arrived at room C. The room was dark but all of the furnishing and walls—with the exception of the booth—was made of clear glass that was lit up with neon lighting that flashed intermittently.

Naruto's blue eyes immediately gravitated towards the dark figure that sat in the booth in the corner of the room. He was languidly reclining against the dark cushions. Tonight, Sasuke was dressed in his leather pants, with what looked like a fine, black, blazer jacket, and a dark linen shirt with the first top buttons undone. _Sexy doesn't even cut it_, Naruto thought to himself.

"Hey, you're back," Naruto greeted in English with a smile. He sauntered over to Sasuke, bypassing the table in front of him. The other straightened a little upon seeing him. "Did you miss me?"

Sasuke chuckled a little, that familiar smirk that Naruto had grown fond of, curling perfect, sensual lips. "Don't give yourself too much credit. I was just passing by."

"Is that so? Well, you seem to be passing around here often then. And just around the same time too," Naruto remarked knowingly, as he sat down on Sasuke's left.

"Just a strange coincidence," Sasuke said nonchalantly.

"That's happened three times in a row?" Naruto said, making them both chuckle. Naruto liked making the other laugh. He had fantastic cheekbones that were exposed when he did. Naruto eyed the bucket of champagne on the mini bar in the corner. "Would you like me to serve you champagne?"

He shook his head, his dark bangs brushing against his face. "No, thank you. I'm not all that crazy about it," he said, draping an around the top of the couch, behind Naruto.

Naruto's brows rose. "You don't like it?"

Sasuke sighed a little. "Not really. It isn't bad. However, I prefer whiskey. Preferably Scotch."

Naruto studied him. _That suits him nicely_, he thought. "Yeah, I can see that. You like beer?"

"Kirin Ichiban and Heineken," he replied smartly. "You?"

"Sapporo and Heineken," Naruto replied with a smile. "You know, you could get the room without the champagne. Kakashi just sells it to you like that to get you to spend more."

Sasuke let out a half-hearted huff of amusement. "I know. I don't mind it though. They can keep it, or you can give it to one of your friends. It doesn't matter."

Naruto eyed him watchfully. "You seem a bit pensive tonight."

Sasuke looked at him.

"Sorry. It's just, your face and your expression—it's a bit drawn. I can't help but notice these things in my line of work," Naruto offered.

Sasuke gave a deep sigh now, momentarily looking up at the ceiling. "I just have a lot on my mind."

"Wanna talk about it? We strippers are sometimes like therapists, just without the documentation," he remarked glibly.

Sasuke gave a huff of laughter. He shook his head. "It's difficult to explain," he eventually replied, turning a bit towards the other.

"Try me," Naruto insisted.

Sasuke looked at him, searching his gaze for a long moment, before looking away. "My line of work is a bit…unusual."

"Like mine?"

"Well…in a way, I suppose. Unusual hours, artistically demanding. The thing is I work in conjunction with other people."

Naruto looked down between them for a moment, as if considering his next question. He lifted his gaze back up. "Do you work in the entertainment industry?"

Sasuke nodded absently, staring down at a spot on the carpeted floor. "I'm a songwriter."

Naruto nodded after a moment. "So I guess it must be very stressful?"

"Yes. Sometimes."

"So, you're burning out, you think?" Naruto asked, leaning back against the cushion.

"I haven't burned out yet," Sasuke replied somewhat testily, removing his arm, and resting it at his side. "I have the desire to keep striving to reach the top, but I've been doing that for the last seven years, consistently."He shrugged a shoulder. "I just feel…" He snorted derisively then. "Never mind," he muttered.

Naruto looked at him with concern. He carefully weighed his words before saying them. "Sasuke…do your peers, the ones you work with closely…do they know that you're gay?" he asked hesitantly.

Sasuke looked at him, a defensive expression crossing his face before gradually easing away. He sighed. "Yes. It's just difficult to handle it all when they aren't."

"And everyone else thinks _you_ aren't," Naruto added perceptively.

Sasuke glanced at him, before looking away. "Right."

Naruto sighed, feeling painfully for the other. He felt like he was finally getting a better-rounded view of who Sasuke was as a person. It wasn't something he cared to experience with the other clientele, but…Sasuke was different. He couldn't quite explain it, but the dark-haired man was nothing like anyone else he'd ever dealt with. Beneath that handsome layer of skin, this man was hurting, he now knew. Having been in his shoes, Naruto knew what it was like to hide one's true feelings from the world and to live a lie.

Naruto reached out and laid a hand gently on his leather-clad thigh, waiting for Sasuke to look at him. "I know what you've been through. I've been through it too. It might be awhile, but trust me, it does get better." He then watched as sooty lashes fanned pale cheeks, as the other blinked a few times.

Sasuke leaned back, resting his head on the high cushion of the booth behind. He closed his eyes. "I might've said too much," he murmured.

Naruto smiled a little. "Don't be an idiot." Naruto suddenly stood, approaching the sturdy, clear-glass table in front of them. It too was changing colors with the lighting fixture attached to its base. He suddenly took off his shoes, the sound making Sasuke's eyes snap open.

"What are you—"

"Shut up and just watch," he said teasingly. He rose onto the table and positioned himself on his knees. Seeing that he had the other's attention, he stroked his chest and abdomen, satisfied with how Sasuke's eyes were following the movements of his hands. Gradually he began to lift the hem of his shirt, and rid himself of it, tossing it unceremoniously onto the corner of the booth. Sasuke sat up now. Moving his hips in subtle circles, Naruto eventually leaned forward, and reached for Sasuke's hands. Silently, Sasuke followed his lead, as he led his hands to the elastic band of his shorts.

He caught Sasuke's gaze. "Help me take it off," he softly demanded. Guiding Sasuke's fingers, he hooked them around the band, the other's thumbs gently gliding against the skin of his abdomen. Then he guided them downwards, tugging the material with the motion. As Sasuke slowly kept tugging, Naruto leaned back and lifted his hips, bringing his legs forward from under him. Sasuke pulled the shorts off the rest of the way, and tossed them in the corner without a glance.

Sasuke suddenly smiled appreciatively. "Orange g-string. This is different," he commented, as he eyed the thin, stretchy cloth covering the other's package.

Naruto grinned cheekily. "It's actually my favorite color."

"I'll remember that in the future," Sasuke murmured. His smile eased away, as his gaze became hooded.

Naruto propped himself back up onto his knees. He felt so good—he felt so _desired_—as he saw the way Sasuke's beautiful eyes skimmed over his body. He was often complimented on his physique, but Sasuke hadn't commented much on it at all, and yet his heated silence outweighed all the compliments of the world. He slowly guided his right hand down his chest, and then skimmed past his navel, until he reached his pelvis, where his g-string hung low. Then, holding Sasuke's gaze, he slowly snuck his hand past the g-string band and into his crotch. His fingers touched the warm skin of his own cock, and he felt himself up, squeezing his length, which had been gradually stirring to life. Closing his eyes, his head fell backwards, as he did this a few times. When he lifted his head back up and opened his eyes, he was pleased to see Sasuke visibly swallowing and licking his lips slightly, the reflection of the changing colored lights playing along his face. Sasuke was definitely turned on. _Good_, Naruto thought with fierce approval.

Naruto dragged his hand out. He then leaned forward, and very carefully planted his hands on Sasuke's knees. Sensing his intentions, Sasuke gripped his arms and dragged him into his lap. Naruto settled his bare thighs on both sides of Sasuke's leather-clad ones on the cushion. He felt, rather than saw, Sasuke's fists clench at Naruto's sides, alongside his legs. They were now face-to-face. Naruto could feel Sasuke's rapid heartbeat, and smell the beguiling scent of his cologne, which was a wonderfully cool, woodsy scent that he found suited the other. He could feel the wonderful warmth of the other's lean body, which Naruto knew was as gorgeous as the rest of him. Looking into those dark eyes, Naruto was suddenly besieged with the need to be close to him—closer than he'd ever been to anyone before.

He aligned himself until his aching length, which was now fully erect and peeking out of the g-string crotch, nestled against the rise of Sasuke's solid hard-on. Holding his intense gaze, Naruto then grabbed Sasuke hands and guided around his body until they reached his backside. Then, pressing forward, he filled Sasuke's palms with the weight of his bare ass cheeks. Naruto could see the question swirling amid the arousal in the other's obsidian eyes.

"Tonight is about you, Sasuke," he murmured softly, near the other's mouth. Their noses bumped. "Feel…touch me." Then, wrapping his arms around the other's steady shoulders, he began to move on Sasuke. He ground his hips against the other, creating sweet friction between their swollen cocks. Naruto sighed in pleasure as he felt Sasuke knead his butt cheeks, those talented fingers warming them with the heat generating from his palms.

"Yeah, just like that," Naruto whispered, closing his eyes. His head tipped back then, and he vaguely felt Sasuke nuzzle the crook of his neck. The pleasure was building at an alarming rate, and he felt Sasuke begin to buck gently against him, aiding in their friction. Naruto lifted his head, burying his face in Sasuke's soft hair, which smelled wonderfully like the finest of shampoos. He loosened his arms a bit to run his hands through the rich dark hair at the other man's nape. Sensing Sasuke shiver, he knew he'd discovered an erogenous zone, and he lowered his face, opening his mouth slightly, letting his breath blow against the other's pale skin. Sasuke groaned now, and Naruto swore he felt his cock harden even more so. He was no longer aware of the time or their surroundings. All that mattered was making Sasuke feel good—making them _both_ feel good.

Their breaths coming out in near gasps now, Naruto could feel the tightening of his groin. He lifted his face, his forehead damp, and now pressed against Sasuke's. "S-Sasuke…" he groaned, lost in the delicious sensations. "Are you…"

"Y-yeah," came the husky reply. Together, they ground harshly against each other, rubbing their aching, confined erections against one another. "Hold me," Sasuke roughly demanded then.

Naruto immediately wrapped his arms around the other, pressing their bodies as close as he could get. The pressure built, and built in inexplicable levels, until it felt like a dam that was finally rupturing. Naruto gasped as he came against Sasuke, his cum spurting forth between their stomachs. He sighed in satisfaction a few moments later when Sasuke trembled against him with a groan. For a few minutes, neither said nothing as they remained wrapped around each other, Sasuke's palms still on Naruto's ass, and Naruto's arms still wrapped tightly around the other.

When their breathing slowed, Naruto finally pulled back a little, until he could clearly see the other's face. "Sasuke…"

Sasuke dragged his palms up, and ran both hands gently up his back. "Yeah?" he replied gruffly, meeting Naruto's eyes.

Naruto laid his hands on the other's shoulders, gripping them soothingly. "I know who you are. I've known all this time. You don't have to hide from me. Okay?" he said seriously.

The blond-haired dancer could feel Sasuke stiffen against him, surprise most likely radiating through him. Naruto stared quietly as the other looked searchingly into his eyes.

Sasuke's mouth parted slightly, but no words came forth.

* * *

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**Authors Note: **This was a little brainstorm that originally popped into my head weeks ago, and I proceeded to post it on my other accounts outside of here. After some deliberation, I decided to post it on here by request. However, only the edited version will be posted. The full version will continue to be posted on my tumblr, y!, and AFF, so you can take your pick.

It started off as a one-shot, but by the end of it, I realized that it had potential for an extra part...or two, and judging by the early reviewers' feedback, I should go with that idea, ha. Anyway, quite a bit of research was done for this and all the locations mentioned are very much real. Originally, this was just going to be about the power of seduction, but, as usual, my brain insisted on something else, and I unintentionally gave it a bit more "heart" than I intended. I was going to try to get part two out last week, but then the Olympics happened, and...yeah (i live for that stuff). So it'll be out soon. Hope you enjoyed it.


	2. Part II

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto or its characters, nor do I make any profit from this fanfic.

**Warnings:** Contains yaoi, sexual acts/situations, and some foul language. If you cannot handle that, then do not read.

**Rated: **M

**Pairing:** SasuNaruSasu

**Summary: **Uchiha Sasuke, a famous Japanese rocker and closeted gay, has to live a lie for the sake of his career. What he ended up getting, however, was an obsession for an American stripper and a yearning for freedom. AU, Smut, Hurt/Comfort.

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**Touch Me**

**Part II**

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Sasuke restlessly turned in his bed.

Lying on the dark cotton sheets of his king-sized bed, the bedroom was dark, as the heavy curtains of his window blocked off most of the outside light. The sheets were soft against his body, the top half of which was covered in a dark t-shirt and the bottom half in similar lounge pants. He was now on his stomach, his face turned to the side, as he absently squinted at the window. Although he'd gone to sleep late last night, he was unwillingly awake despite his attempts to resume his slumber for the last half hour. He couldn't sleep when mentally he was on edge.

The sneak had known who he was.

A part of him still couldn't get over it. He'd been blissfully lethargic, riding high on the proverbial cloud nine, due to the amazing orgasm he'd experienced with the blond-haired dancer, only for the other to tell him—unabashedly, at that— that he'd known about his identity. At that moment, he'd felt like a bucket of cold water had been abruptly thrown on him.

_Sasuke blinked. _

_For a long moment, he said nothing as the tingling sensation of post-orgasmic bliss still lingered throughout his body. He sluggishly fought to make sense of what the blonde-haired man in his lap was telling him. Eventually, his mind was able to process the words, but surely, he had misheard him…_

_"…what?" he murmured dumbly, as he stared into grave blue eyes. They were a strange contrast against the otherwise flushed, handsome face. _

_He watched as Naruto looked down for a moment, removing his hands from his shoulders, and tentatively resting them against his chest. "I said I know who you are…Keiyu."_

_Sasuke froze after his stage name was said, his eyes rampantly scanning the other man's in disbelief. He…he knew? No, he mentally corrected, he'd known the whole damned time. Sasuke's hands dropped from their position on Naruto's back as his brows drew together with oncoming anger. _

_"Get up," he growled, his hands balling into fists at his sides. _

_"Now, Sasuke, look. I—"_

_Abruptly, Sasuke rose with force, pushing Naruto's weight to the side as he did, which caused the other to unceremoniously land on his rear on the booth's cushion. As Sasuke stood, he furiously looked down at the tawny-skinned man, too indignant to react to the provocative sight the other made—fluorescent lights playing along his skin, cum splattered on his abdomen, and a flagging erection still very much semi-visible._

_"You asked me all of those questions knowing full well who I was..." he accused, his calm tone barely veiling the anger he felt._

_Naruto stared at him, his blue eyes wide and swirling with indistinguishable guilt. He sighed. "Okay, fine. But look, that isn't—" _

_"Don't. Say. Another. Fucking. Word," Sasuke ground out, making the other man's eyes widen further. His fists clenched tightly at his sides. "And if you ever attempt to out me or blackmail me, I will retaliate. Then you'll really know who I am and what I'm capable of." _

_Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the other's forgotten t-shirt on the floor and nimbly picked up, using it to roughly wipe what he could of the remnants of the dancer's ejaculate off of his own shirt. _

_"Would you just calm down for a second," he heard, Naruto say. "It isn't like that! If you—"_

_"There's no need to feed me anymore bullshit!" Sasuke snapped. He forcefully tossed the shirt at Naruto, who unflinchingly caught it. Cold, dark eyes ran over the other's form. "Job well done, Naruto. Now you can go clean up and get ready for the next gullible prick." With that, he turned and stalked towards the door._

_"Sasuke, wait!"_

_Sasuke ignored his voice._

The implication of what the other had told him had been too much of a bombshell for him to deal with at that moment when he'd felt so vulnerable and undone, and he'd bounded right out of the establishment. There was anger—anger at having been laughed at by the other man all this time, but also panic at the possibility that one of his most well-guarded secrets could've been revealed, discreet establishment or not. Despite his emphatic threat, Sasuke knew he might have to follow through in making sure that the other kept his mouth shut.

Sasuke rolled onto his back then, groaning a little, as he suddenly felt the incessant pounding of a headache hammering away at his skull. He put a hand to his forehead, sighing as he remembered the events that had invoked the dreaded pain.

When he'd arrived home, he'd gingerly cleaned himself up, having endured the uncomfortable sensation of wetness in his crotch the whole taxi ride home. He hadn't even bothered tossing his shirt in the washer, instead dumping it in the trash bin, not wishing to keep anything that would remind him of his foolish folly. Afterwards, he'd changed into sleepwear, before locating a bottle of imported Jack Daniel's in his kitchen. There, he'd sat on the couch, proceeding to drink to his heart's content—at first from the glass, and then from the bottle itself. Soon after, he'd strummed listlessly on his black acoustic guitar, which he kept in a corner of his living room. For a half hour, he'd failed miserably to draw forth inspiration to write a song about the misery he was feeling in that moment. He'd felt like an idiot, like an utter fool, to have wanted to take some measure of comfort in the other man—in a fucking _stripper_.

That was when the full-blown anger he'd managed to control, finally seeped through his inebriated mind like a slow-acting drug. The weight of what had just transpired, along with the frustration of the last several months, built up to an explosive pitch, and he'd viciously thrown the empty bottle along with the glass against the wall, where it shattered into pieces, littering the otherwise pristine floor. Although the act had been vaguely satisfying, the intractable feeling of melancholy hadn't vanished. After several minutes of sitting with his face buried in his hands, he'd wearily risen from the couch and staggered into bed, choosing to deal with the issues assaulting him another day.

He languidly blinked several times as he stared at the plain white ceiling above. _Well, it's another day now_, he thought derisively. The disappointment of last night still hadn't worn off, and since he tended to sulk, he knew it would be a while before it would. Regardless, he refused to mope around like some naive teenager scorned by a school crush. It's not as if he'd been in love with the American anyway. Hell, it hadn't even been a crush. It had been pure lust, plain and simple. Soon enough, another hot piece of ass would appear in his life and he'd be able to get it up for him too. He _would_ move on. It was just another fucked up incident in a long string of failed misadventures, he told himself.

With that thought, he carefully sat up, putting a hand to his head, as the pounding in his head became stronger. _Shit…maybe I shouldn't have hit the bottle so hard_, he thought, as he swung his legs over the side of the bed. He was still clad in the dark sleeping pants he'd donned last night before his drunken episode. Squinting a little through the pain, he glanced over at the nearby nightstand and picked up his iPhone. Deftly typing in his password, the screen switched to show that it was ten-thirty in the morning. Setting the phone down after a moment, he braced himself and rose, heading to the nearby bathroom to commence his post-sleep rituals.

A half-hour later—teeth brushed, freshly showered, and two extra-strength headache pills consumed—Sasuke walked out of his room, down the hallway, and into the living room dressed in a Han Solo-themed t-shirt and lounge pants. His eyes immediately gravitated to the remains of the liquor bottle and the glass, the shards strewn on the floor near the corner. He glared. Unable to tolerate the sight, Sasuke retrieved a broom and dustpan from the nearby storage closet and set about cleaning up the mess.

After the mess was cleared, he went to the kitchen and heated a bowl of udon soup and beef in the microwave, which he'd had the foresight to buy the previous afternoon from a nearby noodle stand. As the appliance worked its magic, Sasuke reached into his pocket and brought out his phone, fiddling with the device at the pristine countertop of the contemporary-style kitchen. He skimmed through his Twitter, smirking slightly at some of the tweets his fellow musician colleagues had left on his timeline. When he checked his replies, his humor improved slightly as he read all of the, "good morning, Keiyu -san", messages sent from fans. Annoyance abruptly set in when he then noted the sporadic messages of, "Can I be your girlfriend, Kei-san". It was amazing to him the blind devotion that some of the fans had towards him. _If they only knew the "real" me_, he thought derisively.

When the familiar beeping of the microwave rang, Sasuke put his phone on silent and retrieved his food along with a pair of chopsticks. He then moved to the coffee table in the living room and set down his bowl. After opening the textured vertical blinds of the balcony doors a little to let in some light, he finally sat down. He turned on the television, quickly locating Music On! TV, and for the next half-hour, he watched a random block of music videos as he ate.

Sometime afterwards, he sat on the couch with his guitar in hand and recommenced work on some of the song compositions he'd been working on while overseas. Having brought over his iPad from his carry-on bag, he'd opened up his saved notes and worked diligently until the lyrics to two songs were completed. He remained stumped on the third one, however. The untitled song was supposed to be a rock ballad, or at least, that was how he'd initially heard it in his head. The first three lines he'd managed to mark down were written in _kanji_, but now he heard the words in English in his head, and it was turning out to be not as romantic as originally intended. He strummed his guitar as he tested out the lyrics.

_The force of your love, a desire complete, to feel what you feel when our souls meet… _

"No," he muttered, leaning forward to where the iPad rested against the coffee table. He erased the last several words with a tap of his finger. He paused and thought a moment, before quickly replacing them with new words. He then focused back on his guitar, repositioning his fingers, before resuming his strumming.

_The temptation of you, a desire complete,_ _the yearning to dive into its sweet deceit._

Sasuke stopped then, thoroughly satisfied with the lyric, despite the unexpected change of mood. _Fuck it. It'll be a dark rock ballad or something_, he thought decidedly. He then sighed in irritation, knowing exactly why there was a shift in the theme of the song. That was how it worked with him. He wrote according to whatever was influencing him in his life, and as much as he hated to admit it, he still couldn't get the events of last night out of his mind, much to his utter chagrin.

He carefully set the guitar aside. Maybe it was time for a break. He could continue the rest later. He eyed the steel manual clock hanging on the far wall. It was two-thirty in the afternoon. His friends were at their respective jobs for the day and he had no plans other than to work on the songs. At that moment, he could practically hear Shikamaru's voice in his head, telling him to get out of the house and get some fresh air. His friend was usually right in these matters—even in his own sub-consciousness.

After some consideration, he changed into jeans and shrugged on a dark denim jacket that had been given to him at a recent photo shoot. At the shoe closet, he shoved his feet into a pair of his favorite black Converse before deftly slipping his phone and wallet into his pocket. Then, putting on his black shades, he grabbed his keys from the nearby counter and was off.

Several minutes later, he was out of his complex and walking down Roppongi Dori avenue. He wasn't even sure where he was heading, but the day was nice and he enjoyed exercise, therefore, he was content to let his feet take him down the busy streets of his neighborhood. The long, tree-lined sidewalk was moderately occupied by passersby at this time of day, and he shoved his hands in the pockets of his jacket as he walked past a few restaurants, eyeing a clothing store or two along the way. As he walked for the next fifteen minutes, the familiar sounds of speeding buses and taxis were rampant all around him, and the latest pop music could be heard blaring from the speakers of the numerous stores located on the trendy street.

All the while, Sasuke was lost in his thoughts. He almost felt inclined to call Hamura to take care of ensuring that his activities at the_ 69_ _Club _would remain undiscovered. That would be a great idea _if_ it weren't for the fact that Hamura didn't know he was gay, of course. The thought had his lips tightening at the corners. If he reported the incident to his high-strung manager, he would also have to explain why he'd been at the club in the first place, and that would give way to an assortment of problems he would rather not deal with at the moment.

He sighed. He should've known better, he couldn't help but think again. He wasn't naïve by nature, but when it came to trying his hand at the gay scene, he certainly was. However, his resources were limited and that had ultimately led to him going to the club in the first place. He didn't have gay friends, he wasn't very social, and he had to be careful, but there was only so much masturbation and watching porn could do to fulfill him. In a moment of weakness, he'd exerted bad judgment, and now he might pay the price. He gritted his teeth. He would _have_ to go back there himself.

He roused from his thoughts as he approached the Roppongi Dori and Gaien Higashi Dori crossing. He felt somewhat thirsty now and knew that there was a 7-11 nearby, heading east. The sound of traffic moving along the elevated Route 3 Expressway roared overhead as Sasuke made a right, finally walking down Gaien Higashi Dori. He walked for another few minutes until he finally spotted the large 7-11 building at his right.

Entering the brightly lit _konbini_ store, he casually made his way through the moderately busy aisles. Unlike the stores in America, he found that a majority of the 7-11 chains in his native home were filled with an even wider assortment of food and miscellaneous products—from liquor to makeup. Eyeing the refrigerated shelves along a nearby wall, he approached them. Placing his shades on his head, he carefully examined the numerous bottles of fruit drinks before him, until he found what he was looking for. Grabbing a bottle of Calpis Soda, he turned—moving to make his way down the nearby aisle—when a flash of bright, golden hair caught his attention from the corner of his eye.

Sasuke did an immediate double-take. There, in the nearby corner, was a familiar looking foreigner flipping through a magazine in front of the wide stand. He wore an orange cameo jacket with a white shirt underneath, medium blue jeans, and had a tan sling bag hanging from his side.

Sasuke's eyes widened slightly. _It can't be him…_

Unlike the image of the man Sasuke had engrained in his mind, this man obviously had considerably more clothes on and he wore trendy glasses to boot. However, the tawny skin and the mop of vivid, blond hair on his head were exactly the same, and even with jeans on, a well-rounded backside was detectable…

Sasuke's gaze rose just as rimmed eyes glanced at him from the corner, locking with his. Instant recognition filled them. The magazine lowered as those unforgettably blue eyes widened. "Sasuke…" the other murmured in surprise, turning towards him.

The rocker straightened, his momentary surprise quickly turning into anger, as he received a mental reminder of what had occurred the night before. He couldn't focus on the unexpectedly pleasant sight the stripper made in plain clothes. This same man could possibly endanger his career.

His hand tightened on the bottle of soda.

* * *

Naruto idly flipped though the latest edition of Men's NON-NO. His new reading glasses aided him in deciphering the small printed _kanji _on the numerous sleek pages of the fashion magazine. Today was his day off from work, and after tending to his studies, he'd spent some time with a friend before finding his way to the store. As he turned the page yet again, he suddenly had the indiscernible feeling that he was being watched. Urged by that instinct, he casually looked sideways.

He was instantly surprised to find Sasuke standing there, looking right at him. Taking in his casual day clothing and the bottle of soda in his hand, Naruto surmised that the other had been shopping like everyone else. Judging by the look on his face, Naruto also saw that Sasuke was just as stunned to see him—and he didn't look particularly happy about it either. His mind immediately recalled the angry exchange that had occurred the night before—for the third time that day. _Great. This could play out beautifully again, _he thought to himself wryly."Sasuke…"

The handsome rocker's face hardened. "What are you doing here?" he said in English.

Naruto lifted a brow. "Uh, reading?" he replied, gesturing to the magazine in his hand.

Sasuke scowled before giving a conscientious glance around them. He then immediately looked back at Naruto, stalking forward. "Are you following me?" he demanded.

"What the hell?" Naruto responded in surprise, as the other stopped within arm's-length of him.

"You heard me," Sasuke snapped tersely, his elegant, black brows pinching together a little. "If you still think that you can get away with blackmailing me, you're wrong. I'm already making arrangem—"

"Woah! Wait. I heard enough of what you had to say about that yesterday," Naruto interrupted sternly. He was _not_ going to let the other verbally override him this time. He absently set the magazine down on the stand, before turning to face Sasuke head-on. "Now if you can stop getting your panties in a twist and listen for one second, you'll understand that I don't have any intentions _at all_."

Sasuke's mouth set in a grim line. "I'm listening," he replied flatly, after a moment.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "First of all, you aren't the only famous celebrity to walk through that club's doors. You are one out of _hundreds_. The rules of that club always stand—discretion first—and you could've checked up on that before leaving the club last night as if the fan girls were after you. Secondly, I'm not some money-grubbing, opportunistic asshole like you may think I am. I'm not looking to get fired and I'm actually capable of having some morals, surprise, surprise," he stated sarcastically.

"Then why didn't you tell me the truth about knowing who I was from the beginning?" Sasuke countered, his eyes assessing him carefully, as if looking for any sign of deceit.

Naruto evenly stared back at him. "Because it was obvious you were reluctant to tell me. I was taught not to pry into clients' business when I see they aren't comfortable with certain subjects. I felt though, that you were a little different. You _wanted_ to talk to someone and _don't _deny it," he quickly added, when Sasuke opened his mouth to object. "I kind of wanted to lend an ear, so I waited for you to open up and tell me. Last night, when I saw how down you looked, I figured it was time to get the ball rolling, and I tried to coax you into telling me, but…" He shrugged his shoulder. "You needed the physical satisfaction first."

Sasuke uncomfortably looked away for a moment, before looking back at him. Intense, black eyes scrutinized him before he spoke again. "Were you treating me so especially well because you genuinely wanted to, or because I'm a rock star who paid you for your time?"

Naruto sensed the heightened importance of the question. However, he countered with one of his own. He crossed his arms. "Did you keep seeking my services because you genuinely liked me, or because I was a hot piece of ass you could get off with?" he questioned pointedly in turn.

Sasuke blinked in surprise. Dark lashes then partially hid his eyes, as he seemed to understand the duality with both questions.

Naruto sighed, raising a hand to rub it behind his neck. "Look, the point is, I haven't said anything to anyone, and I don't intend to. Not everyone wants something from you."

Sasuke seemed to take a breath then, looking uncertain, as he removed his gaze from Naruto and looked off to the side, his bangs brushing against his cheek. The blond-haired dancer couldn't help but feel that it reminded him somewhat of a gesture a lost child would make. A muscle ticked in the man's narrow jawline, and then suddenly, he was muttering something.

Naruto squinted. "Huh?"

Sasuke audibly sighed, casting him an annoyed glance. "I said _thanks_," he muttered.

Naruto shook his head, trying his best to hide a smile. It wasn't an outright apology, but it seemed to be as close to one as the moody bastard could summon. He shrugged a shoulder. "Look, it's no big deal, but you should give someone a chance before drawing your own conclusions, ya know. Anyway, I'm not going to make your life difficult here. I'll just go off on my merry way and act as if I never heard you or saw you, and you can do your rocker thing. Okay?"

When Sasuke failed to give a response after a long moment, Naruto shifted, ignoring the unexpected pang of disappointment that rose seemingly out of nowhere. "Well…see ya," he said with a half-hearted, but amiable, gesture of his hand. He turned.

A hand on his arm suddenly stopped him as he took his second step.

"Wait."

Naruto turned in surprise to see Sasuke looking earnestly at him. He sent the other a questioning glance.

"I…are you busy right now?" the rocker asked hesitantly, dropping his hand.

Naruto blinked. "Not really. I was just going to make my way home," he replied, facing him once more.

"Hn." Dark eyes glanced down before rising once again to meet blue. "I was thinking, if you wanted to, perhaps we can go somewhere and…talk."

Naruto stared at the other's expectant expression, his former disappointment suddenly turning into a rush of contentment that he couldn't quite contain. He gave a lopsided smile. "Heh. Sure."

He was still smiling as he watched Sasuke put back the bottle of soda.

* * *

At Sasuke's suggestion, the two men took a short taxi ride to Roppongi Hills, where they decided to go to Starbucks. The Roppongi Hills vicinity was a massive property that consisted of shops, restaurants, offices, movie theaters, as well as other properties, such as parks and an outdoor amphitheater. It was also home to four luxury residential buildings and an early learning center for children.

Entering the giant Mori Tower, which was a fifty-four story high-rise at the core of the property, the two men took the escalator to the second floor. Sasuke's dark glasses were covering his eyes the whole time they made their trek, and after Naruto inquired whether they should worry about him being recognized, the other coolly assured him that he hadn't been recognized even once within the last year that he'd been frequenting the area. All the while, Naruto remained relaxed under the reflective gaze of the guitarist who did not hide the fact that he was staring from behind those shades.

Once they reached the second floor, the blond-haired man followed Sasuke, as the other seemed to know precisely where he was going. Locating the Starbucks, they then entered the chic yet cozy café and ordered at the front register. The men walked away with a cold berry refresher for Sasuke and a caramel frappucino for Naruto—the latter refusing to let Sasuke pay for him.

Sitting down in a corner booth, Naruto took off his bag and set it near him, as Sasuke settled across from him. Realizing he still had his glasses on, Naruto took them off and gently folded them, before setting it on the gold chain that hung around his neck. Sasuke watched quietly from behind his shades all the while, observing him as he took a measured sip of his drink.

Naruto merely smiled, taking a sip of his frappucino. "Are you sure no one's going to recognize you here?" he asked then with a bit of concern.

Sasuke shook his head, settling his elbows on the table. "It should be fine. I come around frequently when I'm in town and am never bothered."

"Oh. I just figured that with you being in a band and all that it might be a hassle."

"It's fine. It's one of the benefits of not being an attention whore in the group," he said with a vague smirk.

Naruto chuckled heartily. "I get it." He suddenly gave Sasuke a considering glance. "Hey. Um, do you mind if you take off your sunglasses?" he said then, gesturing towards it with a hand.

"Why?" Sasuke asked curiously. He normally didn't like bright lighting, hence why he consistently wore shades during the day.

"When you have shades on, you give off a cold vibe, like…impersonal. I like looking at your eyes when I talk to you," the American man replied evenly, his gaze direct.

Sasuke blinked. The way the other's naturally husky voice said it, along with his unflinching gaze, had Sasuke's heart pumping a little too loudly in his ears. He smoothly reached up and removed the black shades, setting them down on the table near him. "Better?" he asked with another lift of his brow.

Naruto smiled. "Definitely." He took another sip of his drink and leaned back against the booth's cushion. "So you keep staring at me. Trying to figure me out?" he said with amusement in his voice.

Sasuke folded his hands, not bothering to deny it. "Can you blame me?"

"Not really. I'd be curious as hell," he answered easily.

Sasuke let out a huff of amusement. "Well, I am. Particularly since this is the first time I've seen you in proper clothing," he commented, eyeing Naruto from the chest upwards. The other's daytime style suited him. Even the orange jacket, which could look garish on someone else, looked fitting on him. It made Sasuke realize that it seemed he'd only been familiar with one side of the dancer. This Naruto sitting before him looked bright, studious, and even a little innocent. It was almost like night and day.

Naruto grinned unabashedly. "Of course. Well, I know you have questions, so fire away, as long as you know that I'll have some of my own."

Sasuke nodded once. "Fine." He had more than a few questions to ask the other—inquiring how the other knew him, being at the top of the list. However, he found himself wondering about something else instead. "The way you're dressed. You look like a university student," he said, not wasting any time.

Naruto nodded calmly. "That's because I am one."

Sasuke's brows rose, surprise evident in his eyes.

Naruto smiled a little. "I go to Temple University over in Minamiazabu. I've been attending for almost four years off and on."

Sasuke gave the other a considering glance as he took in the information. Minamiazabu was a district just southeast of where they were, within the same ward. From a logical standpoint, the fact that the blue-eyed man dedicated himself to something other than stripping, shouldn't have been surprising to him. Yet, it absolutely was.

"Ah, the one over by the 415. That's the Japanese campus of the university in America, right?"

"Yep."

With his curiosity stirred, Sasuke found himself wanting to ask more questions that had nothing to do with the subject he'd initially been aiming for. "What are you studying?"

"Communications. I'm graduating soon." Naruto reached into his bag and partially pulled out a school textbook and a Macbook. "This is mainly what my life consists of when I'm not working the pole," he quipped, putting them away again. "Been doing exams all this final semester."

Sasuke leaned in a bit. "How do you balance that with your…other occupation?"

Naruto gave an amused look. "It hasn't been easy with my strange schedule, that's for sure, but I've managed. I just take the courses I know I can do in one semester and attend most of my classes on days off or in the afternoon. Like today," he explained, taking another sip of his drink.

Sasuke hummed. He then gestured towards the glasses resting against the other's shirt-covered chest. "So those aren't some accessory."

Naruto glanced down and chuckled. "No. Those are my trusty reading glasses. I kind of can't study properly without them."

Sasuke smiled a little. He already felt a little better now, although he couldn't quite explain to himself why. It's not as if he'd asked the blond more pertinent questions yet. Perhaps it was because he felt as if his previous misconception about the blond-haired dancer seemed to be in the process of peeling away, bit by bit. On the other hand, it could be because the other had a way of making him feel at ease.

Naruto put the glasses on again. "Do they make me look nerdy?" He made a comical face.

Sasuke laughed slightly, shaking his head. "No." His eyes lingered over the other's face. "You look good in them," he said thoughtfully. _More than good_, he thought. It added an unexpected element of charm to the dancer—while fully clothed—that he hadn't expected. He had firmly tried not to think about it in his initial infuriation upon seeing the other in the store. Now, Sasuke fought the urge to remove the spectacles from the other's face, thinking to himself that there was something strangely intimate about it.

Naruto blinked at him before smiling. He then slowly took them off, almost as if he knew that the action intrigued Sasuke. "Thank you."

Sasuke proceeded to take another sip of his drink. He then leaned back, crossing his arms. "So, it's been established that you study and you're an erotic dancer. Does your schedule also leave you time for following the activities of local rock artists?" he said with an undertone of amusement.

Naruto smiled. "_Erotic dancer_—that sounds so elegant," he quipped. "And not really. Although that's because I don't really follow many local rock artists anyway." He then leaned in on his elbows, resting one cheek on a closed fist. "And I only really listen to alternative rock. No offence."

Sasuke raised a brow. "Which bands do you listen to?"

"Hmm, Straightener, Sakanaction, The Hiatus, and some Korean ones like The Koxx and The Electric Eels."

Sasuke nodded once. "Not bad. Very much alternative." He cocked his head then, giving him an analytical look. "So considering that, how—"

"—do I even know who you are?" Naruto finished for him with an expectant smile. He chuckled, laying his hands flat on the table. He looked down at them a moment, smiling a little to himself, before he looking back up. "Rock And Read."

Sasuke blinked. "Excuse me?"

The blue-eyed man nodded. "Several months ago, I was at a magazine stand. I was reading the music magazines when I caught a glimpse of some moody-looking guy on the cover of Rock And Read. Despite not being into _Visual Kei_, I could tell by the haircut that the guy on the cover was either of the general rock scene or the _Visual _one. Anyway, I only had the chance to look at the cover because I had to catch the train, I think, but the image kind of stayed with me, because he was really good looking, but also…there was something about his eyes," he explained.

Sasuke listened quietly, his gaze rapt upon Naruto's.

"Anyway, a lot of time past since then. Then, the other night, you came walking into the club," Naruto said with a slight smile. "The moment I saw you, there was something about you that drew me to you. Despite the fact that you were a stranger, I couldn't really ignore the feeling that you seemed familiar somehow. So, yesterday, I was hanging out with my friend, Sakura, who's a _Visual Kei_ fan. She was going on and on about one of those bands she likes, and out of boredom, I started going through her collection of monthly magazines while I was sitting on her couch. When I got to the end of the stack, I was suddenly looking at a very familiar face on one of the covers—the exact face I had seen all those months earlier," he said, his eyes intently staring at Sasuke's.

Sasuke could feel the subtle blossoming of sudden anticipation spreading through him. He'd done dozens of photo shoots over the last several months, but while it was difficult to remember most of them, he vaguely recalled possibly sitting in for a session with—

"It was _your_ face," Naruto said then with a chuckle, confirming Sasuke's thoughts. "And your eyes. It was _so_ weird. The same eyes I had been looking into the night before were staring right back at me from a magazine. So, I asked Sakura who you were without telling her that I had met you. She told me that you were in the band she was talking about earlier, and then whined about how I hadn't been listening at all," he said with a slight roll of his blue eyes. "She told me how you were the hot mysterious one, so much so, that fans didn't even know your real name."

Sasuke's eyes lowered for a moment. Many rock artists in Japan went by stage names, often consisting of merely a first name. When he'd first joined the underground band circuit, he'd decided from early on that he did not want his artistic life to interfere with his private life, and had taken on the name of Keiyu in order to maintain a distance between them.

"Anyway, she didn't say much else other than the fact that she thought you were one of the best guitarists out there, and that she would—in her own words—let you fuck her senseless." Naruto chuckled then, a twinkle in his eye, as the pale cheeks across from him flushed somewhat. "I didn't wanna give her any ideas and make her think I was suddenly turning into a _Visual Kei_ fan, so I dropped the subject after that."

Sasuke cleared his throat, the embarrassment of what the other had said, wearing off. "So you aren't planning on letting her know that you met me, or that you know my real name?" he asked gravely.

Naruto looked him in the eye. "Not unless you gave the okay. I could see how much your anonymity meant to you, and I'm not some cold-hearted bastard. I meant it when I said that I wouldn't tell anyone, and I never go back on my word. Besides, I know what it's like to want to keep things quiet," he added, his eyes lowering, as he took another sip of his drink.

Sasuke's brows creased a bit. He inwardly found himself wishing that the other would elaborate on the last statement, but he let it go. After gauging the other's words and his expressions, Sasuke determined that the other could be tentatively trusted where his secret was concerned. Moreover, Naruto's blue eyes were far too revealing to his scrutinizing gaze, they seemed to hide nothing.

Now that that was settled, though…where did that leave them? Sasuke was admittedly intrigued by the fact that the other had seen his picture all that time ago. What were the chances of the overall situation, after all? Certainly, it was hardly the first time a person had told him they'd found his image interesting, but for it to be a man—an extremely attractive man, at that—and someone Sasuke found himself drawn to, was entirely different.

He silently studied the blue-eyed man who'd gone strangely quiet. Sasuke oddly found that he didn't like the other's silence, and unexpectedly felt the urge to get him talking again.

"Fine."

Naruto looked up. "Huh?"

Sasuke sighed a little. He'd always hated to repeat himself. "I said fine. I believe you, and…thank you, once again."

Naruto smiled warmly at him. "You're welcome. Now that wasn't so bad was it? I would have told you all of this last night. Although, I'll admit, I probably could've worded things a bit better at first, but I'm not really that good with subtlety."

Sasuke smiled a little. "I noticed."

"Heh. Sometimes I can't stop the words that come out of my mouth. I'm always expressing myself in one way or another," he said wryly, the fingertips of a strong, tanned hand, running through the rivulets of condensation on his drink's side.

Sasuke leaned forward again, bracing his elbows on the table, and propping his chin on folded hands. "So…you study communications and you're an erotic dancer. What do the people in your life think about that?"

Naruto looked thoughtful. "Well…my parents aren't around, so I don't really have indignant parental figures to deal with. My grandmother isn't too thrilled about it, but…she's pretty liberal and so is my grandfather. They worry about my safety more than anything, but I think they've realized by now that I can take care of myself."

"And your friends?"

"They're okay with it. Some friends I do hang around more than others, but my closest friends know and understand. It's fun being on the stage, but that wasn't _the_ reason I chose that job, and they know it. Anyway, it's not like they visit me there or anything. I think Sakura, who is one of my best friends, has only gone there twice since I've worked there."

Sasuke hummed, taking a long sip from his drink. Another question was already on the tip of his tongue. However, he started noticing that the café was filling up considerably. The empty seats next to them were now newly occupied by a pair of _gyaru_, which was proving to be an annoyance, as well as an eyesore for him.

"Do you mind if we take this conversation somewhere else?" he asked in irritation, amid the backdrop of feminine giggling.

Naruto smiled. "I was just going to suggest the same thing."

Fifteen minutes later, they were back on the ground floor. This time, they chose to walk around the nearby Mohri Garden. Located between the Mori Tower and the TV Asahi headquarters, the Japanese garden was a haven among what was largely otherwise a concrete jungle. Although not a big garden compared to some of the others within Tokyo, it had a large pond in the center, and a lovely array of trees and flowers.

Side by side, Sasuke and Naruto casually walked together beneath the afternoon sun, ambling along the cement sidewalk that circled the width of the garden. There were a few people randomly scattered on the grass, and an old couple sitting on a park bench, but they were otherwise alone.

With his hands in his pockets, Sasuke glanced at Naruto, momentarily admiring how the other's bright hair seemed all the more vibrant highlighted by the sun. "So you were saying earlier that your family and your friends were okay with what you do."

"Mhmm," the other hummed idly.

"But, isn't it a bit risky?"

Blue eyes looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Aren't you afraid of someone from your university or elsewhere seeing you?" he clarified curiously.

Naruto considered the question, nodding at a passing woman who nodded at him politely, before looking back at Sasuke. "Well, I won't lie. At first, I was paranoid as hell, but then I realized that my classmates don't really frequent Nichō—at least, the ones I know. I gave it a lot of thought though," he said, his expression uncharacteristically serious. "I eventually decided that if I stumbled into one of them on the job, then I wouldn't run away. I'm working and paying my bills the way I see fit, and it's no problem of theirs. Besides, I'm hardly a teenager. I'm twenty-five. I don't know if I'd be in university now if it weren't for this job. I won't be at it for much longer anyway. Once I go after a professional job, then I'll give more thought to my 'reputation'."

"What are you going to do when you go to an interview and they ask you about your prior work experience?" Sasuke posed then, with a lift of his brow. He watched as the other's lips tightened at the corners, his dark-golden brows furrowing.

"Hey, it's not as if I haven't had other types of jobs. I've only been working at that place for a year and a half or so. I have prior experience, f-y-i. When it's interview time, I'll cross that bridge when I get to it," he huffed, crossing his arms. "I'm not sure what impression you have of me yet, Sasuke, but I'm _not_ some defenseless, dumb, _gaijin_ blond. I know who I am, what I'm doing, and where I'm going. Got it?" he finished pointedly.

Sasuke observed the irritated, yet, resolute blue eyes of the other, surprisingly moved by the determination in them, even if he was a little annoyed at the tone of voice. _This guy is a character_. He was someone who could hold his own, Sasuke realized, and he felt somewhat contrite at also realizing that he'd still been misjudging the other all along. Naruto did not seem to fit the profile he had constructed of the other in his mind. It was an odd state of affairs for the rocker, because he unexpectedly found himself even more attracted to the American.

He smirked, oddly pleased. "Calm down. I hardly meant to offend,_ baka_."

The other huffed, his cheeks puffing out a little, much like a pouting child. "Whatever. And you're the _baka_, _baka_."

Sasuke sent the other a mildly unimpressed glance, which Naruto caught. Together, they suddenly let out huffs of amusement.

After the pleasant moment passed, Sasuke decided to resume the line of conversation. He realized there was something the other hadn't established yet—something he was burning to know. "So we've established the feelings of your family and friends regarding what you do. What about anyone else though?" he asked as coolly as he could manage.

Naruto blinked at him in confusion. "Anyone else?"

Sasuke looked at him closely. "Yes. Like someone in your private life or…"

"Why, Sasuke, are you trying to find out if I have…_a lover?_" the blond-haired man asked with a lilt in his voice, the glint in his eyes, teasing.

Sasuke glared at him a little. "Are you going to answer the question, or not?"

Naruto laughed, thoroughly amused at the other's annoyance. He then gradually sobered, his expression changing to a contemplative one. "I haven't had anyone to share a private life with in some time…man or woman."

Sasuke blinked, quickly glancing again at the other man. _Wait, woman?_ "You mean…"

"I'm bisexual."

The surprise on Sasuke's face must've been evident as the other started chuckling. "Sasuke, just because I work at a gay strip club, doesn't mean I _am_ gay," he said, giving him an amused look. It was similar to one that an adult would give towards an unworldly child.

_Of course it doesn't. Wise up, Uchiha, _Sasuke mentally scolded himself. He quickly recovered. "I see. It just hadn't occurred to me."

Naruto hummed. He shoved his hands behind his head as they continued walking. "I like dick, certainly. I just also happen to like boobs as much," he said smartly. "But you know what? You'd be surprised at how many straight men work at these places. Likewise, a lot of them even work in porn. You know, 'gay for pay' and all that."

Sasuke nodded, ignoring the slight tingle that emerged from his gut at the other's usage of the word 'dick'. "Do you know any?" he then asked out of curiosity.

"I might have been introduced to a few before in the nightclub scene, but that's about it. I don't really follow that scene here, although many of the AV stars do hang out in Nichō. What about you?" he asked, as they neared a couple sitting on a bench.

Sasuke eyed him. "What do you mean?"

"Do you like Japanese gay porn?" he asked bluntly, as they past the middle-aged couple.

Sasuke self-consciously flushed a little, shoving his hands deeper into his pockets. "You don't have to be so loud," he chastised, his voice instinctively lowering. "And have you always been this forward?"

"Hey! Weren't you just asking me if I was sleeping with someone?" Naruto shot back, crossing his arms.

"No. I was trying to ask if you had a boyfriend. There's a difference. I have _tact_," he replied matter-of-factly.

"Uhuh," the other replied dubiously. "Speaking of boyfriends, you've gotten your answer. What about you though? Are you with someone?"

Sasuke sent him an unfathomable glance. "I wouldn't be here if I was."

"Is that so?" Naruto replied with a smile. They held each other's gazes for a moment, before Naruto casually looked away. Now admiring the tall trees that surrounded the park, he appeared thoughtful. "So it looks like you're the faithful kind, huh?"

"You say it like it's a bad thing," Sasuke murmured grudgingly. Sure, his prior relationships had failed, but it certainly hadn't been due to a fear of loyalty on his end. In fact, he didn't doubt his capability in being devoted—with the right person.

Naruto glanced at him, observing the dark-haired man's face closely. "It's not. It's just that not everyone who visits the _69 Club_ is single." With Sasuke's attention on him again, he continued. "For instance, I told you before that a lot of salary men go there. Well, most of those men are often married and unfulfilled in their lives. After a day of slaving away and contributing to society, they come in, and we give them a good time—a momentary escape from their dull reality. Some of them go home afterwards, and some of them stick around to try to pick someone up, or go elsewhere to hunt for a one-night stand. So it's not like I was thinking the worst of you. It's just that it wouldn't have surprised me if you were involved with someone in some way. I wouldn't have held it against you."

Sasuke grunted. "Well, then I guess there is something you should know about me."

Naruto halted after noticing that Sasuke had stopped walking. He turned towards him, his eyes running over the other's refined features, as they stood half an arm's width away from one another. "What is it?"

Sasuke looked earnestly into Naruto's eyes. "When I am involved with someone, I can only see _them_ in my eyes. I don't like games."

A pregnant silence passed between them, as surprised blue eyes stayed on fixed, black ones. Only the momentary whipping of Sasuke's bangs along his brows and eyes obstructed their locked gazes. Suddenly, Sasuke was turning around.

"C'mon."

Naruto blinked out of his stupor. "Hey! Where are you going?" he questioned after him.

Sasuke looked over his shoulder, stopping. "It's getting late and I'm getting hungry. Do you work tonight?"

"No."

"Have any other plans?"

"Um, no."

"Good. I'll invite you to dinner then. We can bring it back to my place, if you want. I live nearby, so we can continue talking there." He started walking again.

Naruto blinked, staring dumbly after him for a moment, before deciding to catch up with the other. "Hey! I haven't even given you an answer!"

Sasuke merely shrugged. "I already know what your answer is going to be," he replied with a smirk.

Naruto reached him, giving an amused chuckle as he shook his head next to him. "Cocky bastard."

With that, they made their way out of the park.

* * *

A little over a half hour later, Sasuke and Naruto were walking down the lengthy pathway leading from the court area located between the Mori Tower and the TV Asahi building. Sasuke carried a large, brown, paper bag that contained their Italian take-out, which they procured at a restaurant in the Mori Tower. With nightfall quickly approaching, the lights on all of the buildings were now on, brightly illuminating the area. Passing by the Toho Cinemas and the Roppongi Hills Arena, the men made idle commentary, as they eyed the billboards for upcoming movies towards their left.

Naruto then followed Sasuke onto the connection bridge, and in a few short minutes, they were approaching the residential towers.

"Wait, you live _here_?" Naruto asked with a touch of awe, stopping. Naruto stared up at the two high-rise buildings that stood before them. The structures were a part of the four residential apartment buildings that made up the Roppongi Hills Residences, which were renowned for their luxury, as well as their location, since it was located in close range of the shops, several facilities, and a super market. The two-centermost buildings were the tallest of the four, towering over the others by over a dozen floors.

Sasuke hummed in affirmation. Realizing that the other man still wasn't at his side, he turned. "Are you coming?"

Naruto snapped out of his reverie. "Oh, yeah," he replied, catching up to him. "God, Sasuke, you don't bullshit when it comes to quality," he remarked.

Sasuke let out a chuckle, guiding the other towards the white and brick-colored building on the left. Sasuke pulled out a touch-less key, which granted them access inside. The front door attendant immediately greeted Sasuke warmly, and after clearing through the elegant foyer, and checking in with the front desk receptionist, the men made their way up the elevator. The ride up was filled mostly with Naruto's commentary, as he wondered aloud over the safety of the elevators during an earthquake. Sasuke idly informed him that the elevator shaft was constructed using a special technology that reduced swaying significantly. He also commented that there were storerooms that were supposed to be filled with water and emergency supplies in the event of a disaster, impressing the dancer considerably.

Once they reached the twenty-second floor, Sasuke led the other towards his apartment. He pulled out his touch-less key, quickly gaining access. Sasuke held the door open.

"The security here sure is thorough," Naruto commented as he walked through.

"They don't bullshit around with the security," Sasuke quipped.

Naruto laughed, turning to him. "Here, give me the bag and you can turn on the lights and lead the way."

With a brief thanks, Sasuke handed him the bag, and shut the door. In the dark, Naruto could hear the other move past him, and a short moment later, light illuminated the apartment. Naruto then followed Sasuke's lead, and both men toed off their shoes, leaving them in a nearby shoe closet that Sasuke opened.

Stepping forward now, Naruto whistled as he looked at his surroundings. A sleek, medium-sized kitchen was tucked away towards the right, and there was a bathroom located by the entrance on the left, which he hadn't noticed upon initially entering. Walking into the large, joint living and dining room, he saw a hallway to the left that most likely led to the bedrooms. All of the walls in the apartment were white and mostly bare, with the exception of a few odd decorative frames—the most notable being a large, glass, mosaic portrait of Jimi Hendrix that hung above a black couch in the living room. The couch was a part of a three-piece set that surrounded a coffee table, and was positioned in front of an impressive entertainment center. Next to the entertainment center were two guitars positioned on stands in the corner.

"Just set the food down on the table and make yourself comfortable. There are utensils in the bag. I'll be right back," Sasuke said, walking away.

"Okay." Naruto walked over to the black, glass dining table and did so. He sat down at one of the ends, on a plush, black chair. After hanging his sling bag over the back of the chair, he took out the boxes of food from their bag, noticing the centerpiece in the middle of table, as he did so. It was a pretty set of clear, square vases, filled with water, pebbles, and orchid blossoms, which were topped off by candles.

_He sure has an eye for décor. Definitely gay_, Naruto mused, chuckling at his own joke.

"What are you laughing at?" Sasuke remarked, entering the living room again. He had put away his jacket, wallet, and sunglasses in his room.

"Nothing," Naruto replied all-too-pleasantly, glancing at him. He suddenly laughed as he caught a glimpse of the guitarist's shirt, which read: Han Solo's Tatooine Sour Mash Membrosia. The logo mimicked that of Jack Daniel's. "That's funny! I like that," he chuckled.

Sasuke smirked, glancing down. "Thanks." He then walked past the other, heading towards the kitchen.

"Where did you get it?" Naruto asked, as he folded the paper bag, and set in on the chair next to him.

"Some store in Shibuya a few years back. What would you like to drink?" Sasuke asked as he opened the fridge door.

"What have you got?"

"Beer, Coca Cola, water, and white wine," Sasuke replied, eyeing the dismal contents of the refrigerator. While he was pathetically short on actual produce, he had rows of various drinks.

"What are you having?" Naruto asked, rubbing his growling stomach.

"I suppose the soda. Although, ideally the wine is suppose to be better since it goes well with Italian food."

"What are you doing with wine in the fridge? I thought you were more of a hard liquor type of guy," Naruto commented, turning to look at Sasuke.

Sasuke glanced over his shoulder to look at the other. "I am for the most part. The wine was a gift we received at a party some months back. I never bothered to open it."

"Oh, so you're willing to take a risk and charter through unknown, alcoholic territory?" Naruto quipped, laying his chin in a propped hand.

Sasuke chuckled a little. "If that's how you want to put it. I'm willing to try it if you are, that's all."

Naruto smiled. "Let's go for it."

Several minutes later, with both men seated next to each other, they tucked into their meal of seafood linguini. Naruto enjoyed the flavorful Muscato wine, while Sasuke deemed it was a little sweeter than he'd liked, but continued drinking it anyway.

Naruto munched away happily, the rich, buttery flavor of the white sauce divine to his tongue. After swallowing a bite, he eyed Sasuke's shirt again, which was visible above the tabletop. He snorted again. "So, i'm guessing you're a Star Wars fan then?" he commented idly.

"How do you figure?" Sasuke replied, a slight smile playing at his lips as he met Naruto's amused gaze. "I am. Do not judge me."

"I won't judge you…as long you don't judge Twi-hards," Naruto replied, eyeing Sasuke warily.

Sasuke sent him an almost comical, deadpanned stare.

Naruto chuckled heartily. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding! You can wipe that look off your face."

The rocker let out an amused snort, shaking his head, as he twirled his fork, gathering pasta. "I'm sorry, but I admittedly would've judged you regardless."

Naruto laughed. "I figured as much. Don't worry. I'm more of a Lord of The Rings type of guy. Although I like Star Wars too. I always watch it whenever it's on television. I'm gonna test you right now though and see if I can be your friend or not. It will all rest on this one question."

Sasuke lifted a brow as he chewed.

"The first series or the prequels?"

Sasuke smirked, swallowing. "First."

Naruto smiled, nodding. "Okay, you got lucky. You passed. What wins it over for you?"

"One series has Han Solo. The other doesn't, of course," he replied simply, as if it were the obvious reason.

Naruto grinned. "Geez, okay, Han stan. I got it."

"Who's your favorite character?" Sasuke then asked.

Naruto hummed in contemplation. "That's kind of hard. I like Han, but I also like Luke. They're so different from each other. I think I like Luke's will and determination though. I don't know…I can kind of relate more to his struggles."

Sasuke's eyes ran over his face. He nodded. "I understand. If Han hadn't been in the series, I'd probably like Luke more," he replied. He took a sip of his wine, as he braced an elbow on the table.

Naruto shrugged good-naturedly. "I guess I'm just a sucker for the main heroes of stories." Looking away, his eyes suddenly caught the pretty centerpiece on the table again. "You have a very sophisticated taste, Sasuke," he commented with a smile, pointing at the glass vases.

Sasuke scowled. "_That_ is my mother's work. When I moved here about a year ago, she insisted on decorating a little since I didn't show much of an interest in doing so. That was her idea, along with the table, the coffee table, and ninety percent of anything you might find hanging on the walls here. I only demanded the right to handle the entertainment center, of course."

Naruto smiled, setting his fork down. He still had half a plate left, but was already full, as the portions had been generous. "That's sweet, your mother, I mean. Are you close with your parents?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I suppose. Mainly my mother though. My father isn't exactly the nurturing type," he said dryly. "My mother has always fussed over my brother and I."

"Oh, so you have a brother?"

Sasuke nodded, setting his fork down. He moved his half-full plate out of the way.

"Is he older or younger?" Naruto asked, thoroughly curious.

"Five years older. He lives in Los Angeles. He was transferred there through his job several months ago."

"Is he good looking like you?" Naruto said with a wiggle of his brows.

Sasuke snorted, hiding his flush of pleasure. "We look similar, but his hair is longer. Don't get any high hopes though. I think he started seeing some girl recently."

"One can dream," Naruto teased. "So, Mrs. Uchiha is a lucky woman then, two handsome sons and all. What's your blood type?"

"AB. I know this because I get asked all the time for profiles in fan magazines," he added wryly. "Yours?"

"B."

Sasuke nodded, mulling the information over. "Doesn't that make us opposites or something like that?"

"Hmm. I don't know about that, but from what I understand, you are supposed to be among the most interesting types because of your duality. I do know one thing though," he said, leaning his chin on a propped hand.

"What's that?"

"B types are supposed to be most compatible with B and AB types. I know this because my friend Sakura blabbers on and on about things like that," he added with a small grin.

Sasuke returned it with a lopsided smile. "Compatible, huh? That Sakura girl seems interesting."

Naruto smiled, taking another sip of wine. "She's a bit crazy, but she's a good friend."

Sasuke leaned back a little in his chair, casually crossing his feet at the ankles, and accidentally bumping Naruto's own as he did so. "Sorry." The wine had given him a good buzz that had him feeling incredibly lax.

Naruto waved him off. "S'okay."

Sasuke indolently eyed the other. "Since we're on the subject of blood types, I might as well ask, when is your birthday? You said you were twenty-five."

"October tenth. You?"

"I'm twenty-eight. July twenty-third."

"Ahh. So…astrologically speaking, what does that mean for us?"

Sasuke brows furrowed slightly, as he thought the question over for a second. "Fuck if I know."

Naruto barked out in laughter, making the other smile. "I guess we're in the same boat."

Sasuke sighed contently, feeling warm and relaxed. He didn't often invite people over to his house, but inviting Naruto over had been the only way he felt he could talk to the other in private in a comfortable setting. There was a measure of trust that he had in the golden-haired man that had somehow been earned within the last few hours, and Sasuke wasn't sure how to explain it just yet. Perhaps it was because he'd so desperately wanted to trust someone with his secret all of this time, and finally, someone had come along who was willing to share it with him. Whatever the reality was, at the moment, it felt _good_.

His gaze suddenly skimmed down at the plates on the table. He could never stand a mess for long, as neurotic as he was about cleanliness. He sighed. The sooner it was cleaned, the sooner they could continue their conversation in peace. "Do you mind helping me clean this up?"

Naruto shrugged a shoulder. "Sure."

For the next ten minutes, Naruto amiably helped Sasuke put the leftovers away in the take out boxes. Side by side, they then washed their dishes amid light banter, and gave the plate mats a wipe. When they were done, Sasuke invited Naruto to sit with him on the couch, taking their glasses of wine with them. While Sasuke turned on the television, Naruto set his glass on the coffee table, and took off his orange jacket, feeling a bit warm from the considerable intake of wine. Now comfortable in his white, short-sleeved shirt, he settled back into the plush, black cushions of the other's leather couch, slinging the jacket over the armrest next to him.

"It isn't too troubling, you being here, is it? It's not cutting into any studying?" Sasuke asked suddenly, casting the other a glance towards his left. There were a few inches of space between them on the couch.

Naruto looked at him, smiling. "Well, technically, yes. But I was at a study session with a few of my classmates in the morning. I don't think I'll fall behind."

Sasuke's eyes returned to the television where one of the various nightly variety shows was currently airing. "I see. So you're an American and you study here. I never asked you, but how did that come to be? Where are you even from?" he asked, looking at Naruto again.

Naruto crossed his sock-covered feet at the ankles. "I was born in Sendai originally," he began, surprising the other. "But shortly after I was born, we moved to San Francisco. I lived there until I was five with my parents. Then, we moved to Osaka and I lived there for some years, attending a bilingual school. After that, we ended up moving to Sweden, and then Los Angeles, where I was for the majority of high school. Eventually, some time after high school, I ended up moving back here.

"That's quite a bit of travelling. What was that due to? Your parents' personal choice?" Sasuke queried, thoroughly intrigued.

Naruto leaned forward and picked up his wine glass. "Well, my father was a scientist, so his job occasionally required him to travel. My mom was a housewife, so she basically attended to me, and we went along with dad wherever he needed to be. We have strong roots here though, because although my mom's from America, my dad is half-Japanese, so we had reason to keep coming back. Plus my grandparents are here," he said, taking a sip of wine.

Sasuke blinked, taking in the information. So technically, Naruto wasn't American. He was Japanese, he thought with surprise. However, his features were very much Caucasian, Sasuke thought, from the broad shoulders, down to the height, and color of his eyes and hair. _Interesting. _The blond-haired stripper was proving to be full of surprises, more than Sasuke had imagined.

"So, I'm legally Japanese. I maintained my citizenship. With my features though, I'll always be called a foreigner, which is fine by me." Naruto ran blue eyes over the other's face then. "What about you though? I know you attended a bilingual school and all, but your looks…without meaning to offend, they seem almost Eurasian."

Sasuke hummed, his finger toying with the edge of his wine glass. "My mother is half-American and my father's mother was fully American."

Naruto smiled a little at him. "That explains it."

"Most people, particularly the fans, just assume I'm half and half."

"Have you ever clarified that in the magazines?"

Sasuke smirked. "No."

Naruto grinned as he looked at him, his head sinking into the cushion behind him. "Ahh. So you like maintaining that aura of mystery."

"It's more like, I just don't want them prying too much into my life. If it comes off as mysterious, that's fine with me," he replied, taking another sip of the wine.

"Hmm. So what do you think about all those girls with your poster in their rooms? They probably fantasize about you day in and day out," Naruto said with amusement.

Sasuke let out a soft snort. "They can do whatever they want using my posters as stimulation, as long as they don't do it to me directly."

Naruto laughed then, his hand reaching up to hold his stomach.

Sasuke grudgingly smiled, watching as the other's laughter gradually died down to a chuckle. He liked seeing the other like this, his bright blue eyes twinkling with mirth, and completely at ease, without the pressing obligation to perform for him. "I could say the same thing about you though. Women may fantasize about me, but imagine all the men that fantasize about you. In part, you make some of those fantasies come true," he pointed out, ignoring the sudden and unwilling sense of jealousy that arose at that thought.

Naruto's expression became a bit contemplative. "Yeah, I suppose so. I mean, I get paid for that. But…I guess I'm like you in a way. When I'm performing for them, they can do and fantasize all they want, as much as the rules allow. Once I'm out of those club doors though, I'd hardly ever let them do to me what they can do inside the club. Hell, I never even think about them after I leave for the day. Although…" He suddenly hesitated, before snorting. "Never mind."

"What?"

"Nah, it's nothing," he waved off, setting his glass down.

Sasuke scowled. "You can't do that. Do you know how absolutely annoying that is to start saying something and never finishing the statement?"

Naruto settled back against the cushion, grinning at that. "I know."

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

The dancer chuckled. "It's not like I meant to do it, calm down. I just…well, what I was going to say was, you were the exception," he admitted, looking into Sasuke's dark eyes.

Sasuke blinked. "The exception?" he repeated dumbly.

Naruto nodded. "After that first night you visited the club, I couldn't stop thinking about you. Knowing who you were, seeing you in the flesh…that was the first time in a very longtime that I'd thought about a client. The only other time being the first customer I'd ever had to dance for, because I was kind of nervous about it," he said with a sniggle.

Sasuke stared at the other's profile, his eyes tracing over the blond locks, before settling to study the other's expression carefully. Naruto seemed almost self-conscious to admit it. Well, Sasuke wasn't about to let that go. He set his wine glass down, his gaze fixed on the other. "Dancing for me…did it make you feel nervous?"

Naruto turned his head to look at him fully. "Not at all."

The rocker absentmindedly licked his lips. "How did it make you feel?" he asked, the tone of his voice inadvertently lowering.

Naruto blinked, slowly smiling, as his gaze held Sasuke's. "Excited."

The lone word suddenly made Sasuke's heart beat a little faster. Without even trying hard, the other was already arousing him. Sasuke found himself shifting closer to him.

Naruto observed this but said nothing, undeniably caught up in the unexpected atmosphere that was suddenly wrought with the subtle stirrings of awareness. It was in his nature to flirt a little, but he had never done so—or anything else for that matter—with a customer outside of the club. However, he'd never been in a situation like this before, because he had never met anyone like Sasuke. The veiled vulnerability that the other possessed beneath his cool exterior fascinated him, as did his sharp, sardonic sense of humor. However, Sasuke also physically attracted him with the force of a magnet whenever he looked at him with those piercing, dark eyes. It would be very easy to be carried away.

"Naruto, I want to know, after that first night, what is that you were thinking about me?" Sasuke asked softly.

Naruto took a breath, giving a languid smile. "I was thinking about how attractive you were. After I found out who were yesterday, though…it took on a whole new meaning."

"How so?"

Dark, golden lashes fanned over blue eyes, as the other regarded him. "Well…to think that you were the guy on the magazine that I'd seen all that time ago, it's kind of an amazing coincidence isn't it? I said it earlier, but really, what _are_ the chances? After I left Sakura's house, I went home and I couldn't get you out of my mind. I just hoped that you'd come back to say hi again," he quipped gently.

"Is that so?" Sasuke murmured, hiding his surprise. He could not summon the proper words to express the flattery he felt in that moment. The other held nothing back when it came to expressing himself, and somehow Naruto was subtly influencing him in the process. In fact, he'd probably talked more with Naruto today than he had with a single person in months. Even with his friends, he tended to let Shikamaru and Jūgo carry the banter or the conversation most of the time. Currently, he felt embolden to ask more—the wine undoubtedly making it easier.

"Mhmm," Naruto hummed idly. "I really wanted you to."

"Was that…all you wanted?" Sasuke asked then. The low and insinuating tone of his voice surprised even him.

Naruto blinked twice at the question. He was surprised and yet pleased that Sasuke was being so forward. He'd wondered in his own imagination how the other would be like in charge, after the firm command the other had given him last night. There was a sudden, deep-seated desire inside of him that wanted to kindle that fire he knew was within Sasuke.

Sasuke watched in anticipation as clear blue eyes suddenly turned misty. The other's expression warmed considerably in a way that had Sasuke completely rapt.

"Not precisely," Naruto said coyly.

Sasuke's eyes briefly roamed Naruto's face again, before he deftly leaned forward, and set his wine glass down on the coffee table. He then leaned back into the cushions once again, his shoulders now touching Naruto's, as he caught the other's concentrated gaze. "Tell me something then."

"Tell you what?" Naruto replied expectantly.

"Tell me what else you wanted," the rocker insisted softly.

Naruto studied the other. Oh, he definitely had every intention to tell Sasuke now, he thought to himself. He smirked. "Do you really want to know, Sasuke?"

Sasuke licked his lips, nodding once. The other's voice has dropped to the familiar, low rasp that Sasuke had come to enjoy the previous two nights before.

"I'll tell you something. I was going to keep it to myself, but I don't mind telling you now, since it might eventually answer your question." Simmering blue eyes locked with engrossed black ones. "When I went home after finding out who you were, for a little while, I did more than just think about you." He shifted to turn slightly towards Sasuke, sill reclining leisurely against the cushion, his bare arm brushing alongside Sasuke's. "Can you guess what else I did?"

Sasuke managed to shake his head slightly, anticipation suddenly building from his core. He could imagine what he _wanted_ it to be, but wasn't sure if the other was merely teasing him. "No," he murmured.

"I'll give you a hint." Naruto suddenly curled his finger, beckoning the other to lower his head. When Sasuke's ear was near, Naruto leaned in close to the pierced lobe.

"_I wasn't wearing any pants when I did it_," was the sudden whisper.

Sasuke's eyes widened, reflexively swallowing. Almost instantly, the blood seemed to rush to his groin, as he felt a dull, and all too familiar ache. He shifted his head to look the other in the eye again, their faces close. Then, he leaned into the shell of Naruto's ear. "Tell me more," he quietly demanded.

Pulling away slightly, Sasuke watched as the smile on Naruto's face gradually dropped, his look becoming even more concentrated. "I'll tell you _everything_." A tanned hand suddenly settled on Sasuke's thigh. "Step by step."

The warmth emanating from that hand alone seemed to seep through the sturdy material of Sasuke's jeans, thawing the skin of Sasuke's thigh. The raven-haired Uchiha sucked in a breath when the other's mouth skimmed along his jaw.

"I got home and like I said, I couldn't stop thinking about you. I went to my room and lay down on the bed with every intention of having a nap, wearing these gray shorts and a sleeveless undershirt. But…your eyes, your face, your voice—_everything_—it started to drive me a little crazy," Naruto murmured, his breath tickling the sensitive skin of the other's jaw.

"In a good way or in a bad way?" Sasuke asked, his left hand slowly travelling to touch Naruto's.

"A _very_ good way—a not so innocent way—and I started to get so _hard_ thinking about you, Sasuke," he murmured in a near whine, lowering his face to inhale the clean, fresh scent of the skin on the other's neck.

Sasuke shivered. The words coupled with the sensation of the other's breath on his neck were making his insides flutter. That particular area of his body had always been sensitive for him. "So the thought of me turned you on? What did you do about that, Naruto?" he murmured, his hand drifting from Naruto's to run down the other's thigh.

Naruto's let out a sigh. "I started to fantasize about you. I fantasized about what I wanted to do to you, and what I wanted you to do to me." He gave the pale skin a small nip.

Sasuke's pulse spiked high at that very instant. _Shit. And we're still just fully clothed_, he inwardly thought, his breath hitching. His other hand, which had been clenched tightly at his other side, suddenly rose to run through the soft, golden locks at the back of Naruto's head. "Tell me what you did and what you fantasized about," he bid then.

Naruto could feel his arousal growing with every passing moment, feeling a keen sense of satisfaction as he felt the other's fingers run through his hair. "While I was lying in bed, I took my shorts off. I could see you clearly in my mind, naked—with your body pressed against mine—and thinking about that…I couldn't help but touch myself. I was _so_ hard, Sasuke, you have no idea."

Sasuke nearly moaned. "How hard?" he asked then, his fingers curling lightly to grip the other's hair now.

Naruto took a breath. "Rock hard." Lifting his hand, he then reached for Sasuke's own, detaching it from his hair, and dragging it down his body until he positioned it on his lower half—right over his hard-on.

Sasuke swallowed hard as his hand snugly cupped the jean-clad evidence of the other's arousal. _Rock hard is certainly right_, he hazily thought to himself. This was the first time in his life that another man had ever been so demonstrative and mindful of easing him into arousal, and showing his in return. The first haphazard experience he'd had with that nameless man while on tour had been nothing compared to the erotic experience he was currently sharing with Naruto, and the two prior encounters with the blond dancer technically didn't count either. _This _was different.

"I like that you get so hard for me," he whispered into the other's ear then. "What did you do then?" He gave an experimental squeeze.

Naruto inhaled sharply, shifting slightly. "I wrapped my hand around my dick and I…I started to jack off while I thought about you—about us."

"What did we do together?" Sasuke murmured against the other's brow now. He began to rub and squeeze the other's erection through his pants, as he gained more confidence.

Naruto moaned now, the sound reverberating against the side of Sasuke's jaw. "I fantasized about taking you in my mouth and then, then you doing the same to me, on your knees."

Sasuke could feel his cock twitch inside the confines of his jeans at that. He'd never thought that verbal dialogue would _ever_ be stimulating in this way. He watched Naruto squirm, undoubtedly due to his fondling. His own eyes darkened further, as he watched Naruto absently lick his lips, which were parted as he panted softly.

"T-then, I thought about what it would be like to have you wrapped around me—you touching me, kissing me, and us grinding together—your cock against mine—_really _hard," he moaned.

_That_ did it for Sasuke. Without thinking, he hauled Naruto into his lap with a force that surprised even the blond-haired dancer. Heated black eyes were then suddenly burning into blazing blue, as Naruto's hard thighs framed the outside of Sasuke's. Naruto's hands braced against the rocker's shoulders, meanwhile the other's hands were digging into Naruto's back. Sasuke then quickly moved in do something he'd been _aching_ to do for some time now.

However, before Sasuke's lips could touch Naruto's, the blond tease's hands speedily rose from his shoulders to grip the sable locks on the sides of Sasuke's head, halting the other's action. Their mouths were nearly touching.

Sasuke's brows furrowed slightly in confusion. "Wha—"

"Look," Naruto murmured, his blue eyes intently staring into Sasuke's. "I want you to know, I've never kissed a customer from the club before. It's not something I do. Ever. And I don't normally engage with them outside of the club either, but I'm here with you now. I guess, I'm trying to be chivalrous or something here, but…do you understand what I'm saying?" he questioned breathlessly.

Naruto wanted Sasuke to understand that what was occurring between them didn't happen regularly, that he was doing this because he _really_ wanted to. He loved sex and was certainly receptive to it once he was absorbed in foreplay, however, despite that, he had his own personal principles that he honored, and not becoming intimate with a patron more than he had to was definitely one of them—until now.

Looking at the other's beautifully shaped mouth, Sasuke grunted.

"Good, because I don't consider myself a customer anymore," he replied, his voice husky with arousal. It was the last thing that was said before his mouth caught Naruto's parted lips.

The men instantly moaned. Sasuke loved kissing. This was only his second time kissing a man, the first being with that random male on tour. It hadn't been anything amazing in retrospect, but what had remained with him, more than anything, was the importance of the act itself in his life. With his former girlfriends, he'd vigorously enjoyed making out as well, since it had been a necessary part of foreplay in order for him to get off—an issue he realized he didn't have when being engaged with another man.

He certainly didn't have that issue with the man that was currently in his lap again. He ardently slanted his mouth against Naruto's receptive one. The other's lips were soft and plump, and he found himself nibbling on the full bottom lip until Naruto's tongue snuck out to tease his into play. For Sasuke, the warmth and wetness of Naruto's mouth was like a delicious, velvety pool that tasted mildly of the sweet wine they had both consumed, and he wanted to dive into it again and again. His slick tongue sought Naruto's, dueling almost furiously with it, as his hands lowered to find purchase on the seat of the other's derriere.

Naruto moaned when he felt a firm squeeze. He probed and explored Sasuke's mouth, his hands gripping the other's face to hold it in place. The sensation of Sasuke's lips against his was highly gratifying, as his taste was addicting, and Naruto fervidly sucked and savored the wet recesses inside the silky cavern.

"We were grinding," Sasuke murmured suddenly against Naruto's mouth, before releasing his lips to kiss a path to the other's warm neck.

"W-Huh?" Naruto panted, thoroughly distracted.

"You said that we were grinding in your fantasy, although I recall that you said something else too." Suddenly, Sasuke's hands left Naruto's ass to grasp the front zipper of the other's jeans. Eagerly, Naruto shoved his hands past Sasuke's to do the same for him, and within seconds, both men heaved silent sighs as some of the pressure eased on their erections, the rough material of their jeans parting. Naruto bit his lip as Sasuke's hands reached beneath the band of his dark briefs to pull his weeping length out, one hand pushing his briefs down.

"Sasuke…" Naruto moaned.

Sasuke swallowed hard as he stared at the gorgeous length of Naruto's erection. Velvety, warm, and pulsating in his palm, he squeezed it lightly. The light was muted since the chandelier in the dining area had been turned down low, and the television kept flickering, but Sasuke could make out the ruddy coloring of the other's circumcised dick, which was thick and long. It protruded from a small patch of nicely trimmed, wiry hair. He stared in fascination as a bead of precum seeped through the reddened tip to add to the wetness that had already amassed there, only briefly noticing when Naruto freed him.

Naruto, in turn, admired the uncut length of Sasuke's dick, which was fully erect and stretched well past the foreskin. _Heh. And they say all Asian men are small_, he snickered inwardly, knowing firsthand that the stereotype was far from the truth. Sasuke's width was fitting and he was deliciously long. Just looking at it made Naruto long to devour it with his mouth. However, Sasuke's voice abruptly interrupted his thoughts.

"Now, this is better," he murmured in satisfaction, kissing Naruto again.

Naruto hummed into the deep kiss, the sounds of the wet smacking of their lips audible in the room. He instinctively began to grind his hips gently, and vaguely noticed Sasuke letting his arousal go, only to then shove both hands past his briefs, behind him, to grip both halves of his bare ass.

Naruto lifted his mouth from Sasuke's. "We're not completely naked, but we can get to that later, I guess," he moaned against the sensual line of Sasuke's lips. He heard Sasuke let out a throaty laugh before kissing him again. His breath hitched when Sasuke brought him closer until their cocks were alongside each other, and together they both thrust their hips enthusiastically against one another. Naruto wrapped his arms around Sasuke's shoulders, holding on tightly, as they strained against one another, the pressure in their groins intensifying.

For a brief time, it felt good, so wonderfully good, but eventually, it wasn't enough. Needing more friction, Naruto leaned back slightly and grabbed Sasuke's right hand, bringing it to their fronts. Without further hesitation, he guided the hand with his right and wrapped it around their rigid cocks. Gripping Sasuke's shoulder with his free hand, both men immediately began to thrust into their tight grips, which in no time, became slick with their precum.

Sasuke gasped, the sensations acutely pleasureful. He glanced down at their linked hands, the head of their reddened cocks sliding in and out of their grip. The sight of their erections pressed together so intimately would be something he would never forget, and would fuel many a solo-session for him in the days and weeks to come, he imagined. He tried to imagine wanting to do this with someone else—someone he'd known for the short time he'd been familiar with Naruto—and he simply couldn't. Didn't want to. Somehow, only Naruto was able to make him feel so uninhibited, and deep in his mind, he _knew_ this.

He could hear Naruto pant and keen as the thrusting continued, and Sasuke looked up into that striking, golden face, taking in the pinched brows and the gasping mouth. He immediately vowed that this would not be the only time that he'd see that look on Naruto's face. Not if he had his way. Anxious to feel the other's mouth again, he caught it with his once more.

Naruto moaned into Sasuke's mouth, feeling the familiar tightening of his groin. They were moving so fervently that Naruto had to struggle to stay on top of Sasuke. He could tell by the swelling of their erections and their choppy breathing that they wouldn't last much longer. He strained and pushed into their slick hold, moaning as Sasuke kneaded his ass cheek firmly, spreading the rounded flesh intermittently.

"Naru…to," Sasuke panted against his mouth, his dark eyes feverish with lust.

"Yes…fuck yes, Sasuke," Naruto replied hoarsely, feeling the tension within his gut build to new heights. His blue eyes suddenly widened as he felt a warm finger slide between his cheeks, to then gently rest against his hole. The mere sensation of that finger resting against the sensitive area was enough to send Naruto over the edge.

With a guttural moan, he closed his eyes, tensing as he finally released into their hands, only vaguely aware of Sasuke speeding up the process by frantically stroking them. Wet globs of cum spurt forth from Naruto's dick, wetting their grip and the bottom of their shirts. A moment later, Sasuke joined him, jerking and grunting deeply as he came all over their hands.

Both men breathed harshly against each other, as their bodies trembled in the aftermath of their powerful orgasms. Sasuke buried his face in the crook of Naruto's neck. The other's hand shifted to gently caress the back of Sasuke's head, idly running his fingers through the thick, dark locks, as he regained his composure. Naruto sighed in contentment as he then felt the hand behind him move to bring him close into an embrace.

"That was…" Sasuke said after a short while. His breathing was gradually returning to normal.

Naruto chuckled. "I know," he replied sedately. He was practically slumped against Sasuke's body.

Sensing Sasuke lift his head, his eyes fluttered closed, as the other's lips met his in a gentle kiss. When they parted once more, Naruto smiled at him, seeing the sated look on the guitarist's face. The hand on the back of Sasuke's head rose to push aside slightly damp tendrils of hair from the side of his pale face.

Then, Naruto was gently lifting Sasuke's cum-soiled hand with his, releasing their softening erections from their grip. Once the hands were visible between them, Naruto held Sasuke's gaze, and unceremoniously placed the other's long, wet index finger into his mouth.

Sasuke's mouth parted at the sight, utterly transfixed and silent, as he felt an agile tongue lave the digit thoroughly before releasing it with a pop.

Naruto then licked his lips and smiled impishly. "Tastes even better than in my fantasy."

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**A/N:** The chapter started as a bit of a pain and then I gradually got into it while doing more research for it. So into it, in fact, I found myself looking at apartment floor plans, as if I was going to move to Tokyo. At any rate, if anyone is curious about the area where my Sasuke lives, you can actually youtube Roppongi and there are plenty of videos. It's a beautiful area. As previously stated in Part I, all the places mentioned are real, right down to the 7-11 where Naruto and Sasuke met.

This chapter was _not_ supposed to be this long, but it sort of demanded to be written this length, I guess, and the last scene…well, I hope it's enjoyable enough. It was an intricate write for me. Considering where it ended, I'm sure you can imagine where the next one will pick up. Also, my good friend Dakkar is going to be doing fan art for this fic, so i'll update with that once she completes it. Though she did do a funny little chibi Sasuke doodle for the tumblr update post that i did, which can be seen there. Lastly, for anyone who wants to see some images of the other references made in the story, including the place where Sasuke lives, you can view them at my y! gallery chapter post.

Noted references

**Konbini** - term for a convenience store

**Calpis:** a popular, mild-tasting carbonated drink (sidenote: soda in Japan is less heavy and syrupy than in the US)

**Roppongi Dori:** a long avenue noted for its shops, nightlife, and cafes

**Nichō:** a commonly used, shortened name for Shibuya Ni-chōme

**TV Asahi:** a national television broadcasting station

**AV star/actor:** a Japanese porn star

**Blood types:** instead of astrological signs, it is more common in Asia to ask people about their blood types


	3. Part III: 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto or its characters, nor do I make any profit from this fanfic.

**Warnings:** Contains yaoi, sexual acts/situations, and some foul language. If you cannot handle that, then do not read.

**Beta:** telracsgomesu

**Rated: **M

**Pairing:** SasuNaruSasu

**Summary: **Uchiha Sasuke, a famous Japanese rocker and closeted gay, has to live a lie for the sake of his career. What he ended up getting, however, was an obsession for an American stripper and a yearning for freedom. AU, Smut, Hurt/Comfort.

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**Touch Me**

**Part III: 1.2**

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Sasuke somehow managed to find his voice after witnessing the lascivious display Naruto had demonstrated, willing his brain to jump-start again. It would have brought him back to the brink of arousal if he wasn't spent and tingling from the aftermath of their recent activities. He licked his lips. "You are shameless," he murmured, a smile curling the edge of his lips.

"I am, usually," Naruto replied with smug grin, the fingers of his free hand toying with the ends of Sasuke's hair. "But I have a feeling that you like it, Sasuke. I don't think I'll stop."

Sasuke chuckled a bit, settling his head into the crook of Naruto's neck again. "I won't protest." His body was still humming pleasantly. Rubbing his nose into the warm skin, he inhaled the other's natural scent, which was now tinged with sweat. He inwardly reveled in it.

"Uhuh. You're one to talk though." He leaned back some. "Was that a finger I felt back there, mister?" Naruto asked with a raised brow.

Sasuke's gaze lifted, looking somewhat contrite. "It didn't bother you…did it?" With Naruto so receptive in his arms, Sasuke had let his desires overtake him, his hands unable to stop their journey over the other's backside. He'd simply done it on impulse.

Naruto shook his head, smiling a little. "Nah. Not in this case." He leaned in and kissed Sasuke again, their tongues brushing against each other for a brief moment, before pulling away. "I was surprised, but not in a bad way. Although, I won't lie, had it been someone else, I might not have let them do it."

He lifted a questioning brow. "How come?" he asked curiously.

"I don't let just anyone touch me like _that_, Sasuke," he murmured, his blue eyes roving over the elegant planes of the other's face. "Had it been someone from the club, I would've aimed my foot right for their balls."

Sasuke let out a burst of laughter that made Naruto smile. "Well, good thing I didn't suffer that fate. I happen to like my balls."

Naruto gave a roguish smile, as he admired the carefree look Sasuke wore. It was such a stark contrast to his enigmatic look in the magazines, and Naruto wanted to see more of it. "I'm sure. And if we had the proper introductions, I'd probably like them too," he cracked with a wink.

Sasuke chuckled. "I'll work on the introductions," he indolently asserted, massaging the other's back. "And that…thing you did just now with my finger?" he murmured, glancing at Naruto's mouth, as if reliving the scene in his mind. "Is that something you often do?"

Naruto looked at him, smirking a little. "Hell no. That was a phenomenon—one you should feel so fortunate to have witnessed."

"Hn. I consider myself a very lucky man then," he replied, his head dipping to kiss the skin of the other's tanned neck.

"Indeed, you should," Naruto quipped, resting the side of his face against Sasuke's. His fingers skimmed the other's soft nape. "Although…I should've probably asked earlier—not that I had much opportunity for it—but…you are clean, right?" he questioned as carefully as he could.

Sasuke lifted his head to look at him. It took him a second to grasp what the other even meant, but once it sank in, Sasuke recognized the importance of the question. It momentarily brought him back to reality. "Yes. You?"

Naruto smiled a little, looking into his eyes, a thumb running along the edge of the pale jaw. "Yeah," he replied, giving the rocker a soft peck on the lips.

Grateful to have that out of the way, Sasuke offered a kiss of his own before nuzzling into the crook of the dancer's shoulder and neck again. He was tempted to fall asleep this way, lulled by the almost tender motions of Naruto's fingers. It had been a long time since he'd been cossetted in this manner by anyone. However, he was suddenly startled by the sensation of his right hip vibrating.

After receiving an arched brow from Naruto, Sasuke realized after a moment that it was his cell phone doing the vibrating. Instinctively pulling his hand out of Naruto's light grip, he just stopped short of reaching into his pocket with his soiled hand. Grimacing a little, he briefly fumbled while trying to reach his pocket with his free hand.

Witnessing this, Naruto chuckled. "I gotcha." Letting go of Sasuke's hair, he reached into the other's pocket with his unsoiled hand and handed the other his phone.

"Thanks." Deftly unlocking the screen, he saw that he'd received a text message from Shikamaru: _Yo. What are you doing?_

Typing back a brief message that omitted unnecessary details—specifically about the hot blond dancer currently oin his lap—he set his phone down, looking back up at Naruto. "It's my friend."

"Ahh. So he has friends," Naruto remarked, shifting. His legs were beginning to fall asleep.

Sasuke snorted. "I do. Not many, but a few good ones." His free hand returned to the other's backside, slowly sliding up beneath Naruto's shirt to rub on the warm, strong back. "This one messaging me is one of my best friends. He's one of two who know I'm in town aside from my band mates."

"Do your parents even know you're here?" Naruto asked curiously then.

Sasuke shook his head. "I—"

His phone vibrated again. Sasuke sighed and checked the message: _Ah, so you ate already. _

Sasuke typed back a reply. Were he not currently occupied, he would've been more than willing to eat out with his friend. He momentarily stopped when he felt Naruto ease off of him, the other sending him a reassuring smile.

"I'm just going to go wash up a bit, if that's okay?" he said. He was grasping onto the front of his opened jeans with his clean hand, exercising a bit of decorum.

"Sure it is. The bathroom is the first door to the left."

"Okay."

Sasuke watched as the other walked towards the hallway, instantly feeling the loss of Naruto's warmth. A part of him was already eager to recreate the encounter that had just transpired between them, but he managed to control the need before it became too strong. Sighing a little, he came out of his haze, focusing back on his phone. He quickly sent his text, informing Shikamaru that he was a little distracted at the moment. A minute later, just as he rose from the couch with the intention of cleaning himself in the other bathroom, his phone vibrated again: _Just what are you doing anyway?_

Sasuke sighed.

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Naruto turned on the light and shut the bathroom door behind him.

The room was a nice sized area with bright lights over a large mirror that nearly took up half of one of the walls. It was immaculately clean, with a notable set of small tea lights in the corner of the counter.

Naruto smiled a bit. _Probably his mother's work._

He approached the toilet, his eyes widening. _Oh shit_, he thought in awe. It was a high-tech washlet that he couldn't help but take a minute to admire. It was undoubtedly_ very _expensive, by the looks of it, and it looked so sterling that it was almost a shame to use it_._ He tinkered with a few of the functions before lowering his pants and taking full advantage of the bidet function, where he then proceeded to clean his lower half thoroughly.

After finishing several minutes later, he zipped up his pants, and strode to the sink, where he set about cleaning the salacious spots of drying fluids that dotted the bottom half of his shirt. He grabbed some toilet paper and wet it, unhurriedly working it into the soiled areas, so that he could give Sasuke time to chat with his friend. As he did this, Naruto's mind contemplated the wild events of the last half hour.

What had occurred had never been his intention. He'd wanted to get to know Sasuke, converse a little, maybe become friends—genuine friends. Yet, things were unfolding in such an unexpectedly spontaneous way that he was left with his mind trying to catch up with his actions. When he'd started teasing the other on the couch, he hadn't expected for Sasuke to respond the way he had, boldly provoking Naruto into telling him of the lascivious act he'd performed in his own home—something that had been entirely true. Yet, once the ball had started rolling, Naruto just couldn't seem to help himself. Things with Sasuke just felt so…natural. It was hard not to become swept up in whatever this _thing _with him was.

The fact that Sasuke was hot definitely helped. One would have to be blind not to fall for those striking features, and that tall, lean body. _Now_ he was familiar with the other's beautiful smile and his taste...

_Yeeeap_, Naruto thought wryly. He was definitely attracted to the rock star, that he knew, but he'd been attracted to other people before, as well. He'd acted out on it a few times in his life, but more often than not, he didn't. Still, Naruto was starting to realize that Sasuke was different from anyone he had ever met, and it had nothing to do with the other's occupation. That unique combination of sensuality, self-assuredness, and vulnerability—especially the latter—was an alluring combination. It inspired the lecher in him, but it also inspired the nurturer, as well as the romantic in him.

Naruto sighed, dabbing more water on one spot.

He shook his head slightly, tossing the paper into the trash bin. _Easy, Uzumaki, it's just a…thing_, he told himself. There was no need to make a bigger deal about it. He'd only just met Sasuke and he was already associating the rocker with romance, which was probably foolish, to say the least. Still…he simply couldn't deny the pull he felt towards the man. Whatever was happening, he didn't feel inclined to stop it. It was rash and a little crazy, and Naruto tended to thrive well on both qualities.

Naruto dumped the wet paper. Knowing the wet spots would eventually dry, he finished with his shirt, turning on the faucet to wash his hands. As he did, he stared at his face in the large mirror before him. His lips were a little swollen and his cheeks had a dusky tint to them— evidence of his recent doings.

Regardless of how amazing it all felt, the experienced part of Naruto's mind told him that perhaps he should exercise caution on Sasuke's behalf. While he was eager to give Sasuke pleasure, he knew the other wasn't the type who seemed used to one-night-stands with other men, nor was he used to the lifestyle demonstrated by the crowd in Shinjuku Ni-chōme. The fact of the matter was that, when it came to his personal life, the rocker was fragile. The details Sasuke had managed to reveal about himself, as well as his behavior, told Naruto as much.

Sasuke would probably loathe admitting it, but Naruto was intuitive enough to know that the guitarist hid his internal suffering behind a carefully fabricated veil. The dancer's biggest worry was inadvertently taking advantage of that and possibly hurting Sasuke further. While he hardly regretted what had transpired between them in the past half-hour, it dawned on Naruto that perhaps it would be wiser to let things simmer down a bit. With alcohol in their systems, they wouldn't exactly be functioning with crystal-clear heads, he reminded himself.

Naruto took a deep breath, turning off the faucet. _He_ was the most experienced one out of the two of them. That alone made Naruto feel compelled to attempt to make sure to keep their best interests at heart.

Rinsing his hands with a nearby towel hanging off a metal rack, Naruto checked himself over one last time before leaving the bathroom. When he returned to the living room, it was to find Sasuke standing in the center, turning off the television. Naruto noted that he'd also donned a plain black t-shirt and some loose, gray sweat pants.

"Hey. What are you up to?" he asked lightly, shoving his hands into his pockets. He stopped a short distance in next to him.

Sasuke's eyes skimmed over Naruto's figure, as he set the remote on the coffee table. "I was just turning off the television. Nothing good is on anyway. Here," he suddenly said, reaching out and handing Naruto a shirt. "You can borrow this until your shirt dries."

Naruto took it, opening up the folded fabric to see that it was a black BAPE t-shirt with an ape logo on it. He smiled at the other. "Sweet. Thanks," he said, as he reached down to pull up his own shirt.

Sasuke's gaze honed in on the flesh of the other's chest as Naruto removed the shirt, his eyes admiring the flexing of pectoral muscles beneath the golden skin. He tried to ignore the pang of disappointment he felt once his t-shirt abruptly covered the expanse.

Naruto, oblivious to the perusal, smoothed out the t-shirt, gripping the discarded one in his hand. He inquisitively looked at the other. "How does it look?"

Sasuke moistened his lips. "Good," he replied, approaching him. "It's one of my bigger ones. You have broad shoulders, so I figured it'd be a good fit. Give me your shirt."

As Naruto handed it over, Sasuke gripped him by the wrist, reeling him in. He then smoothly leaned in, his lips settling on his in a sudden kiss. His mouth nudged Naruto's apart and their tongues met in a soft, all-too brief, caress before Sasuke leaned back.

As Naruto stared into the other's dark eyes, his free hand rose to grip Sasuke's arm, stroking the skin there. "What was that for?" he asked, his voice a bit husky.

"Nothing special. You just look good in my shirt," Sasuke replied with a smirk. He suddenly pulled away, walking across the room to place Naruto's t-shirt on the back of one of the dining room chairs.

_He's gonna be trouble now_, Naruto thought with an amused smile. "So that's how it is, huh? And that's just when I have it on. No telling what you'll do when I have it off."

Sasuke sent him an amused glance over his shoulder before turning around. "If you stick around, you might find out," he brazenly ensured, smiling at the sound of the other's chuckle. He then headed towards the entertainment center near them. "Would you like to listen to some music?"

"Sure. You in the mood for something specific?" Naruto asked, approaching the other. He stopped once he reached Sasuke's side.

"I figured we could connect my IPod and set it to shuffle," he said, walking to the stereo and turning it on. "There's a lot of music my bandmate downloaded for me that I haven't checked out."

"Hmn. I'm game," Naruto commented. He watched as Sasuke picked up the IPod where it lay next to one of the speakers, connecting it. After fiddling with it for a minute, a mid-tempo electro-pop song filled the room.

Naruto listened as Sasuke adjusted the volume on the stereo with one hand. Gradually liking the intro, Naruto took the device from Sasuke's hands, looking at the screen. "'Shelter' by The xx. A rip from this year's Coachella, huh?" He put the IPod back on the entertainment center. "Never heard of them before, but I'm kind of digging this. I gotta admit, I wouldn't peg you to be the type to listen to this kind of genre."

Sasuke smiled a bit, turning towards him. "I'm a musician. I don't just listen to rock. I listen to a little of everything."

"How much on a weekly basis?"

"Every day."

Naruto's brows lifted slightly. "Yeah?"

"What can I say? It's in my blood. It's my passion. I need it all the time," he replied with a rueful smile.

Naruto stared at him.

Feeling unexpectedly a bit self-conscious, Sasuke sent him a guarded look. "What?"

Naruto blinked. "Nothing. It's just…I think that turned me on a little," he said with an eventual grin.

Sasuke chuckled a little, relaxing. "I'll keep that in mind for any future…endeavors we might have," he said with a suggestive leer.

Naruto hummed. "Seems like I might have just given myself away," he said coyly.

"Just as planned," the other said, sending him a devious look that favored him far too much.

Naruto chuckled. "Okay, Yagami Raito."

He reached out and touched Naruto's arm, which was less than an arms-length away. "Come with me to the balcony? The view is pretty decent."

Naruto's skin tingled where the other's fingers touched his skin. "Sure."

Sasuke turned, opening the sliding door. Both men walked out onto the tidy balcony and Naruto practically gasped at the sight, only half-aware that the other had left the door open.

Before them, the view of the vibrant Tokyo skyline was spellbinding. It was if the night was littered with millions of colorful stars everywhere he looked. Every building as far as the eye could see, resembled a virtual concrete Christmas tree. They were so high up that Naruto could even make out a few of the nearby districts.

"Wow! If this is what you call decent, Sasuke, I'll take decent any day of the week!" Naruto marveled, the breeze ruffling his bangs. He braced his hands against the parapet, the soft sound of the music streaming through the open door.

Sasuke chuckled, coming to brace his elbows on the parapet next to him. He glanced at Naruto, his eyes taking in the delighted look on the other's face. "I'm glad you like it."

Naruto sighed, his smile unwavering, as he took in the view. "It's like having your own little world up here."

Sasuke gaze shifted to the skyline. "Yeah. I guess so. I suppose that was the point," he murmured, as if just realizing it himself.

Naruto glanced at him. "You like your solitude, don't you?"

He looked at him, considering the question. "Yes. Here is the only time I'm truly able to…breathe," he replied, gazing back at the scenery.

Naruto stared at the other's handsome profile, thinking he looked quite solemn in that moment. The wind shifted the dark tendrils of his bangs around his face, and the muted moonlight highlighted the pale, defined planes. "Being a rock star isn't easy for you, is it?"

Sasuke gave a soft snort, glancing sideways at him.

Naruto shrugged. "Well, let's be real, Sasuke. Just because I'm not in the scene you're in, doesn't mean I'm not aware of how massive it is, and according to my friend, your band is one of the biggest ones at the moment. So whether you like it or not, I'm sure _someone _sees you as a star out there."

"Hn."

"Well?" Naruto insisted.

Sasuke looked down at his own hands for a moment, before eventually answering. "I share a lot of myself—more than I care to—with fans and the media. What my blood type is, what foods I like, what type of _girls_ I like," he said, his words tinged with derision. "None of that shit really matters, and yet it's often what makes fans feel close to us. For me though, it's all about the music. It's because of that that when I'm on stage, I'm the most open I can be with the public."

Naruto blinked, taking in the other's words. He braced an elbow on the parapet and rested his cheek in his hand. "I understand. Still, don't they prepare you for that? I mean, you have PR people and such, right?

Sasuke sighed. "True. However, some excel at that lifestyle, and some, no matter what, don't. I don't excel at the public aspect of it. I could never be a funny tv-type personality like a Gackt, for example. I can't see myself ever doing commercials or acting gigs. I'm not…" he drifted off, struggling for the right words.

"Comfortable with being put on the spot?" Naruto offered.

Sasuke looked at him, eventually nodding. "Yes. That's why I'd rather just stay low key. That way I don't call too much attention to myself. You give them an inch and they'll take a mile," he added with a touch of acrimony.

Naruto tilted his head in consideration. "Hmm, yeah. I can believe it. You've gotta have rocker friends though who've been in the business for years. Have you asked your peers for advice on that before?"

Sasuke nodded. "The best advice I received was from a _senpai_ in my band's label."

A dark, golden brow rose. "Which was?"

"He told me that if I ever have to think twice about revealing an aspect of my life, then I'm better off not saying anything at all."

Naruto's gaze drifted as he thought about that. "I see. To preserve any aspect of normalcy."

The other nodded. "Yes."

Naruto let out a breath. "That life sounds…demanding. Still, there have to be perks that are worthwhile taking advantage of that might even things out a bit. Free clothes, parties, travelling. I mean, you can understand why someone on the outside would question it, right?"

"It _is_ nice—at first. But…after you've had it for a while, you eventually realize that that isn't what will bring you ultimate happiness," Sasuke replied, pinning him with a look.

Naruto stared at his companion. He knew, without a doubt, that Sasuke was speaking purely from personal experience. "Hmn. I understand. With all that, do you still manage to have actual friends in the industry? There's gotta be a lot of shady people lurking around."

"There _are_. That's why I reacted the way I did last night when you told me you recognized me," the other replied somberly, looking back at the scenery. "The more your popularity rises in this scene, the more you have to watch your back. As for friends in the industry, I have a few. It's a small but tight-knit group of fellow musicians. We'll occasionally go to the random bar, or attend a concert or industry party together. They aren't my best friends, but they are good companions."

"Do you like the parties?"

Sasuke shrugged a shoulder. "Depends. Most of the time, I go to kill time, and take my mind off of work."

"So, you're probably the cool, hot guy sitting at the VIP table, huh?" Naruto quipped, his eyes unable to help but trace the other's features for what seemed like hundredth time that night.

Sasuke snorted. "I don't know about that, but…I do tend to pick a spot and stay in it," he admitted.

Naruto nodded in understanding, the familiar sounds of a Calvin Harris song now audible in the background. He smiled. "I approve of your playlist so far, by the way."

"Thank you. Speaking of which, I'm surprised you know all these artists considering you said you only listened to alternative rock."

"Yeah, but I meant that that's what I preferred when it came to the rock genre. Just like you, I listen to everything," he said with a grin.

"I see," Sasuke drawled, content with the flow of the conversation.

"So…" Naruto continued. "You like the occasional party, you don't like the television appearances, and you loathe the publicity aspect of it, but, what about those photo shoots you do for the magazines? I mean, interviews accompany them. According to Sakura you guys do a lot of them, especially the solo ones. I'd almost figure you like them."

Sasuke snorted. "Those are for the sheer purpose of exposure for the band, and I'll add that they are _torture_," he replied, sending Naruto an amused glance.

Naruto's brows shot up. "Yeah?"

Sasuke shifted a bit, turning more towards Naruto. "Imagine waking up early, feeling absolutely shit-faced because you aren't a morning person to begin with. You shower and dress, to then show up at a studio or on location. Then you sit for an hour while people hover around you—one person prodding your face with sponges, and another messing with your hair. _Then_ you have to stand around while they make you try on one outfit after another, and once that is settled, you have to deal with a photographer telling you what to do. You do pose after pose and pretend to look intense and interested. Meanwhile, what you're really thinking about is eating a burger at McDonald's since it's been practically three hours since you arrived. And this is leaving out the actual interview."

Naruto chuckled. "Aww, that sucks to hear. Especially since all your photos come out looking so good."

A tapered, dark brow rose. "And how would you know how all of my photos turn out?" he questioned, a gleam of interest lighting up the other's eyes.

Realizing what he'd said, Naruto quickly glanced away, looking nonchalant. "Never mind."

Sasuke leaned in further, a fiendish look in his eye as he nudged the other. "No, you can't do that. Now tell me. "

Naruto finally glanced at him, eventually letting out an awkward laugh as he rubbed his nose. "Well…after visiting with Sakura, I kind of…searched your images on the web," he replied, garbling the last few words. He sheepishly observed as a charming, lopsided smile lit the rocker's face.

"Ah, is that so?" he said with a satisfied chuckle. "So…not only did you fantasize about me, but you looked me up on the web."

Naruto glared at him, feeling a bit flustered. "Get that pleased looked off your face," he replied, trying not to smile.

Sasuke's own smile grew. "There's no need to be embarrassed. I'm flattered."

"Who's embarrassed? I'm fine," Naruto said with a sniff.

Sasuke chuckled warmly. "_Baka_. Not only am I flattered, but…I like the thought of me having been so intently on your mind, just like you were on mine."

Naruto's gaze shifted to catch the other send him an intimate glance that made him feel funny things in the center of his stomach. A smile pulled at the corner of his lips. "Careful. Keep looking at me like that and I might not have control over myself. Especially if you do that look, like on the cover of that one magazine I saw."

Sasuke smirked. "Which look would that be?" he asked, his face tilting slightly.

Naruto's eyes grew as he watched the other precisely demonstrate the stare. "That's it! That's the one!" Naruto declared, pointing at him. He quickly covered Sasuke's eyes with his hand. "_Teme_."

Sasuke laughed, gently removing the other's hand from his face. "Now I know your weakness. Be wary, Padawan."

Naruto chuckled, reveling—for what seemed like the umpteenth time—in the other's sense of humor. "Whatever. It's Jedi Knight to you. You're the Padawan."

Clearly amused, Sasuke lifted a brow. "In what way?

Naruto's eyes held his for a moment, an enigmatic smile present on his face. "In more ways than you realize, I think."

"Hn." Sasuke sent him a dubious look. "I don't think I like it when you come across so mysterious, I'll have you know."

"And why's that?" he questioned curiously.

"I don't know." His hand lifted to run a finger down the warm, tan skin of Naruto's forearm. "I like it instead when I can read you. Sometimes your eyes are so transparent," he said, studying the other's azure gaze. "I feel like I can know so much about you that way, somehow. And then…"

Naruto's skin tingled beneath the other's touch. "And then?"

Sasuke dropped his hand. "And then I come to and realize that I've only known you for a few days, and that I'm probably crazy to think I can remotely know you well," he replied contemplatively.

Naruto turned a little more towards Sasuke. "Does it scare you?"

Dark brows furrowed a bit, his eyes questioning.

Naruto's eyes glanced down at where Sasuke's hand now rested next to his on the parapet. "The fact that I'm a stripper, and that you_ like_ me?" he replied, steadily holding Sasuke's gaze as he smiled a little.

The dark haired guitarist studied the other a moment, before letting out a small huff of laughter. "Scared isn't the right word. Hesitant, perhaps. However…"

"However?" Naruto insisted readily.

"I'm attracted to you more than I'm wary of you," he responded. Sasuke's face was open and earnest. "And I if I can trust you with my secret, then there's no need for me to feel scared, is there?"

Naruto's eyes softened. "Exactly. My life's an open book, Sasuke. I'd be willing to tell you whatever you want to know," he said, lifting a finger to push aside a tendril of the other's dark hair from his face.

Sasuke seemed to mull over the other's words for a moment. "Anything?"

"Just shoot away." At that moment, Naruto then became aware of Empire of the Sun's 'We Are The People' playing in the background. "Wait, you like Empire of the Sun?" he asked, a bit of wonder in his tone.

"Yes? Sasuke replied quizzically.

Naruto grinned. "I think I'm a little in love already."

Sasuke chuckled, another lopsided smile emerging. "I saw them back in 2011 in concert."

"Awesome in all its weird glory, I bet."

"Totally."

Naruto's grin grew, his eyes running over the other's face.

"What?" Sasuke asked softly.

"Nothing," he said with a laugh. "It's just that…the more I find out about you and your tastes, the more I like you, Sasuke," he admitted sincerely.

Sasuke felt his heart speed up a little at the other's warm stare and candid words. "Thank you." He cleared his throat. "So, you were saying?"

Naruto blinked. "Oh, yeah. Um, just ask me whatever you want."

"Hn." Sasuke briefly thought to himself, a persistent subject that he'd been curious about, coming to mind. "You said that you'd lived in California before coming here. How did you wind up back here?"

"Ah, well, when I was really young, my parents and I had settled down in California. It's the place I most identify myself with at heart." Naruto pulled at his shirt, pulling out his gold chain. "This," he said, pointing at the leaf charm Sasuke had noticed the night they'd met, "is a Redwood leaf, from the California Redwood tree. It's a reminder of my old home."

Sasuke's hand rose, his eyes studying the charm in the low light available. His finger ran over the ridges of the finely crafted leaf. It was no bigger than a quarter.

"My mother gave it to me. A few months before she and my dad died."

Sasuke's gaze jerked towards Naruto's as he gently released the charm. "I'm sorry," he offered gravely. _Shit_, Sasuke thought in shock. When Naruto had mentioned earlier in the day that his parents weren't around, Sasuke hadn't thought the other had meant it quite so literally. He couldn't imagine losing one parent, much less both.

Naruto shook his head, a faltering, close-mouthed smile visible on his face. "It's okay."

"Can I ask how they died?"

Naruto nodded, his gaze shifting towards the view of the city. "It was during the wildfire season in California about eight years ago. We lived just outside of Los Angeles, up in the hills, where there's nothing but trees and wilderness. We went from Glendale, a perfectly suburban area, to the hills because my mom wanted to be closer to nature," he said with a bit of a laugh. "Anyway, it was the summertime in July and I was staying with my friend Kiba that week, who lived in Glendale at the time. Oh, Glendale's also just outside of Los Angeles, by the way," Naruto added, glancing at Sasuke.

The other man nodded, attentively listening.

"My mom was home with my dad, who was on vacation at that time, and in the summer is when wildfire season strikes. The drier the weather, the worse it is. A few fires had started here and there that summer, but the fire department had managed to get them under control for the most part. Then on one of those days, during the middle of the night, a fire started out of nowhere in the area. It spread pretty quickly and everyone—all of the neighbors—were forced to evacuate on sudden notice."

Naruto sighed, his expression downturned. "The properties there are pretty big and our house was located around a hillside surrounded by trees. There were only two roads leading out of there—one shorter than the other. My neighbor said that the fire was blocking the faster route, which was the route _everyone_ was trying to take. It forced all the evacuees to turn back—my parents were among them. Because the fire rescuers were scrambling to get officials on the three ends where the fire was burning, there was chaos. I mean, it was three in the morning so no one was expecting it," he explained, his tone softening.

Sasuke nodded again, despite the fact that the other wasn't looking.

Naruto took a breath, his eyes taking on a faraway look. "A jam formed, and everyone was trying to turn their car around at the same time. In the confusion and desperation, another car accidentally hit my parents, and sent their car skidding over the side of the hill. They found it in the morning at the bottom of the hill. They'd died instantly. It was determined later that the fire was caused by arson," he said dully, finally looking at Sasuke with the saddest eyes the rocker had ever seen.

Sasuke's heart went out to the other man. In that moment, as he stared into the other's pained gaze, he realized that Naruto wasn't simply a carefree man-about-town who'd lived an unblemished life of pleasure and thrills. He was a three-dimensional human being like himself, who experienced grief just as much as he did.

"Naruto…" he reached out and laid his hand against the other's arm, squeezing it.

Naruto shook his head, forcing a smile. "S'okay." He cleared his throat and dragged a hand through his hair. "Well, when that happened, my world was turned upside down. My grandparents sent for me, but I didn't want to move since it wouldn't be long before graduation, so they arranged with Kiba's family for me to stay with them. After graduation, I worked for a bit, but…I hated it. It was a fucked up time for me, and eventually I decided that I couldn't stay there anymore. I didn't feel…like myself anymore. So, I eventually decided to finally take my grandparents up on their offer and move to Japan."

"Were you nervous about moving?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto shrugged. "Kind of, but the need to get out of Los Angeles was stronger. Once I came here, I lived with my grandparents in Osaka until I realized that I wanted to be on my own and just…figure out my life on my own. I wound up moving here, worked a few jobs, lived a little, and got all the 'crazy' out of my system. Then I put together a plan for myself once I realized what I wanted in life. And, well, that brings me to here and now."

Sasuke studied Naruto, feeling strangely as if he was viewing the other in a new light. "That's an amazing story so far, Naruto."

Naruto chuckled, a vaguely amused look on his face. "You think so?"

"I do," he replied sincerely. "And the story's still being written."

Naruto smiled. "So poetic. You really are a freakin' song-writer."

Sasuke let out a dramatic sigh and rested a cheek in his hand. "Guilty."

Naruto laughed. "So, what else do you wanna know?" he asked, humming a little as Hoobastank's 'The Reason' began to play. "By the way, if this playlist remains this flawless, I'll tell you right now that you've got me halfway in the sack."

"Thanks for informing me. I'll continue my lustful agenda," he replied with a smirk.

"Oh, is that what this is?" Naruto questioned with a smile.

"Yes, it is futile to resist," he said, leaning in slightly.

Naruto lifted a brow. "Who's resisting?" He inched closer.

Sasuke leaned in further as Naruto's face neared, eager to feel the other's lips on his again. However, just as their mouths were within distance of meeting, Naruto averted his face, and a moment later, Sasuke felt those coveted lips laying a gentle kiss on the side of his neck. A pleasant shiver went up his spine at the sensation.

"You tease," he murmured, watching as the other's face rose again.

Naruto smiled, enjoying the near dreamy look the other was sporting. "I know."

"Are you always this playful with the people you like?"

Naruto shrugged a little. "Depends. You make it very easy for me so I enjoy it more," he replied, his eyes leisurely admiring Sasuke's features.

"Hn." His hand lifted to smooth the edge of the sleeve of Naruto's shirt—_his_ shirt. "Can I ask you something?"

"That's the point isn't it?" Naruto replied drolly.

Sasuke hummed. "Well, you said that you're bisexual. When did you realize that?"

"Ahh, well," Naruto crossed his arms on the parapet. "I think I started having the notion of it in my teens. I just never acted on it. For most of my life, I've only ever dated girls. I just acted like the typical straight guy really."

"'Typical' meaning?"

"Going to parties, playing sports, and getting as many numbers from the cheerleading squad as possible."

"Ah. Did you ever fall for any of the girls?"

Naruto shook his head. "At the time it felt like I had, but then after we'd break up, I'd realize that it was hardly anything like that. I liked all of them, a lot. But…it was such an innocent thing. Everyone would always get together, break up in a month, and move on. It was hardly love-of-my-life status. If I wasn't dating someone, though, then I wasn't doing much of anything else with anyone either."

"I see."

"Then one day, I was doing what most young, virile teenage boys do—browsing through porn on the internet," he said, sending Sasuke a cheeky glance.

Sasuke let out a huff of laughter. "Of course."

"And I stumbled onto some gay porn and…well, that got the wheels turning in my head. From that moment on, I remained curious about it, even though I never pursued anything with any guy. A lot of time passed by before I eventually told my mom about the thoughts I was having."

Sasuke blinked. "You actually told your mother?" he asked, the surprise evident on his face.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. She was kind of like a best friend. She was a bit…hippiesh? If I ever had a problem or an issue that was personal like that, I could always go to her," he said with a wistful smile. "Well, I explained to her how I felt and she assured me that everything would be fine."

Sasuke face tilted. "What exactly did she tell you, if I can ask?"

Naruto blinked. "Well, she told me about how love was love, and that it didn't matter whether it was between two men or two women. She told me that the only thing she wanted was for me to be happy and that she would support me no matter what. I was never more relieved, to be honest. I think a part of me had been worried about what she'd think of me, but she understood. She just…she was great that way," he admitted softly.

Sasuke's eyes lowered for a moment. What that must've done for Naruto as a teenager was immeasurable. The power the gesture of a parent's acceptance for _any_ young man was significant. His eyes lifted again once Naruto continued speaking.

"Once I got out of high school, I never really pursued anyone either. I was too fucked up mentally after my parents' deaths. Once I moved to Japan, that's when I started taking an interest in dating again."

"And how did that go?"

"Well, some months after making the move from Osaka to Tokyo, I started living on my own, and I'd started dating this girl. She was cute, really sweet, and she was a bartender. She was also the biggest Gundam fan, like, _ever_," he added with a deadpanned look. "Anyway, we both realized after a while that it wasn't going to work out between us and we remained friends."

Sasuke smiled a little. "You _would_ be able to remain friends with an ex."

"You haven't with any of yours?"

Sasuke shook his head. "No. I've never felt inclined to either. The relationships I've had…I'd broken up with them for specific reasons. I'd rather move on without them."

"You feel too intensely about it to remain friends," Naruto deduced.

"Yes. So why didn't it work out between you and the girl?"

Naruto considered the question. "Well…although she was nice, there was just…something missing. There was no…" He made searching gestures with his hands. "Spark. No passion. It was just…nice and comforting but…it wasn't enough. It's funny. You'd figure a bartender would be a bit on the wilder side—not that I was searching for that exactly—but she was just a cool girl who was a much better match for me as a friend than anything."

Sasuke nodded, turning towards Naruto so that he was facing the man's side. He braced an elbow on the parapet. "So, so far in the timeline, no men were in your life."

"Right. Shortly after I broke up with bartender girl, though, that changed."

"This is where it gets interesting, I assume?"

"Heh. Something like that." Naruto shifted a bit. "So, one day, bartender girl invited me to a party at the bar she worked at. It was some party to celebrate the birthday of the owner of the bar, I think. She invited me and a few other mutual friends and we showed up, hung out, and drank—you know, the normal stuff. And while I was sitting there, this guy approached me, and we started talking. I didn't think much of it, although, I knew there was something different about this encounter from any other that I've had with a guy up until then. He and I stayed talking nearly the whole night in a corner of the bar, and it was just…cool. I mean, he wasn't really like the type of guy friends I had at the time and…he was just different. It was probably the first time I found myself thinking that this was a man who interested me. Still, it didn't dawn on me until it was time for me to leave the party that he was interested in me like _that_."

"What made you realize it?"

Naruto smirked. "He asked me for my number. I gave it to him. After about a day, he called me, and we agreed to meet up at a café shop."

"Were you nervous? I mean, it was uncharted territory for you."

Naruto thought about that. "Well…not nervous as much as, anxious? I was kind of excited. The curiosity had always been there, I'd just never had an opportunity to explore it until then. So, anyway, we met up and we hung out and…we hit it off. That was my first unofficial date with a man, really. After that, we saw each other practically every other day, and about a week later, we officially became something."

Sasuke studied the other. "It seems…like it was easy."

Naruto tilted his head in thought. "I think it seems that way, but it's easier to explain in retrospect. A lot of second-guessing and hesitating did happen—it's only natural—but my impulses won out. That and I've never been a fan of playing it safe. If I want something, I go for it."

Sasuke let that sink in for a moment. "How long did you date for?"

"Oh, about a year and a half. It's the longest relationship I've ever had, and it was a crazy one."

Sasuke lifted a brow. "How so?" He observed, as Naruto seemed to take a deep breath.

"Well, me and him…we were opposites in so many ways. He worked at a family-run corporate office in the city, had refined tastes, and wore suits to work. Meanwhile, I had just started bartending at the _69 Club_, wore pretty much whatever I wanted, and had more eclectic tastes. Still…we laughed hard, we fought hard…and we loved hard," he confessed with an acknowledging expression.

Sasuke's gaze lowered for a brief moment. He didn't know why, but an absurd sense of jealousy emerged out of nowhere at the other's last words. He nearly felt inclined to refrain from asking anything else, but his curiosity was far too strong. Stemming down on his disquiet, he caught Naruto's gaze.

"Was it different for you…being with a man?" he asked calmly.

Naruto glanced at him. His eyes lowered in thought. "Honestly…yes. There are obvious physical differences to contend with, of course, but most importantly, the communication is…different? It was very straightforward and direct, and I dug that. And physically…you just adjust to it. If you're really into the person as they are into you, it will all work out."

Sasuke studied Naruto's profile. "Were you happy?"

Naruto nodded slowly, his eyes absently fixed on the scenery in front of him. "I was. For a long while, I was. But, like many things in life, it wasn't meant to last," he replied quietly.

Knowing that he was treading on a sensitive subject, Sasuke tentatively asked his next question. "Do you mind telling me how it ended?"

Naruto sighed. "What happened was that he was always tied to his family, who were very traditional and also prominent in the corporate market. Although he was in love with me, he was always afraid of what would happen if his family found out about our relationship. We were always hiding; he was always answering calls and making the people on the other line think he was alone, or at work, or some other bullshit, even though he was with me. And there were certain places we couldn't go to together because his family frequented there. Eventually we started having serious arguments about it, and he would disappear for days. Then, one day, he comes up to my apartment and tells me that he's getting married—to a woman," he said, his voice tight with emotion.

Sasuke eyes went wide before narrowing. "_That_ had to hurt."

Naruto let out a bitter laugh. "To say the least. It was some chick his father had set him up with, who was just as rich as he was. He actually even asked me if I was willing to wait for him until it was an 'appropriate' time for him to divorce, or consider continuing our relationship on the side, behind closed doors, because he still _loved_ me so much." He shook his head. "I couldn't believe it. I had once envisioned myself living a long, happy life with him, and when that bullshit all started to go down, it was like…like I didn't even know him anymore."

He looked at Sasuke, his face strained. "And you know what's really sad is that for a second—for a brief, fucked-up second—I actually considered it. I _actually_ considered being his lover while he was married to another. I felt like I needed him _that_ much."

Sasuke remained silent. He was far too familiar with the collapse of a struggling relationship. His eyes skimmed Naruto's solemn expression. He didn't like seeing the frown so evident on his handsome face, nor those vivid blue eyes so troubled by the old memories. However, before he could open his mouth to say anything, Naruto continued.

"Thank god I'm on the hot-headed side, though. There's _no way_ I could let that shit slip by," he said almost more to himself.

"What did you do when he told you that?" Sasuke asked, inwardly anticipating that the other had given the douche boyfriend a piece of his mind.

"I punched him right in the fucking face," Naruto said with a sudden, satisfied grin that transformed his face. "I told him a bunch of shit too, but, I definitely punched him, and it felt _so_ fucking good."

Sasuke laughed, shaking his head.

Naruto chuckled a little. "But yeah. I won't lie, that period sucked. _Really _sucked. It was painful, and I was miserable for a while, but I survived it." He shrugged. "Aaanyway, that, Sasuke, is the only relationship I've had with a man, and I still like men, as much as girls, therefore, I am bisexual."

"I see." He crossed his feet at his ankles. "How long ago was that?"

Naruto thought, squinting a bit. "About…nine months ago, more or less."

Sasuke's eyes settled directly on his. "Are you still in love with him?" he asked, before he could help himself.

Naruto's blue eyes considered him. "If I was, Sasuke, there's no way I'd be here with you."

Sasuke held his gaze, unable to deny the inexplicable sense of validation and relief he felt inside. If this _thing_ with Naruto went any further, he didn't want to be a temporary replacement for an old flame. Yes, his ego played a bit into it, but it wasn't wholeheartedly that aspect alone. This thing with Naruto—_whatever_ it was—was something he wanted to be fresh and new, as much for Naruto as it was for him. He wouldn't have it any other way.

Naruto let out a breath. "Sasuke. There's something I want you to understand from what I just told you." He reached out and grasped Sasuke's bare forearm, turning to face him. "Whatever it is that you want, _reach_ for it. Don't let your inhibitions keep you from experiencing life the way you want to—the way you _deserve_ to. Don't settle for less when _you_ can be in control of what you want," he said fiercely, eventually dropping his hand.

Sasuke stared earnestly into the other's eyes, which were electric with intensity in that moment. Naruto was a fundamentally different personality from his, and yet there were certain elements about him—about his _life_—that spoke so directly to him. Of course there was a tiny reemerging voice in the back of his head warning him of how potentially risky involving himself with Naruto was, but at this point, he no longer cared. Despite the obvious physical attraction he felt for the man, Sasuke was so inescapably drawn to the man's passion and inner fire that his body practically hummed whenever he was near him.

He moistened his lips, straightening until he was fully facing Naruto. The other man looked tempting beneath the moonlight, dressed in his shirt, amidst the backdrop of the twinkling city lights in the distance. Sasuke's body felt entirely wired with awareness. Yes, he knew what he wanted, and _fuck_ was he ever tired of denying himself his true desires.

"What if what I want is you?" he asked softly, searching the blue depths of Naruto's eyes within the shadows.

A gust of wind blew by, rustling the locks of blond hair around the other's forehead. Naruto smiled a little, his eyes lowering towards Sasuke's mouth, before rising to meet dark orbs again. "Then reach for me," Naruto commanded quietly.

Sasuke inhaled slightly, feeling his own heart speed up in his chest. After living trapped in such an isolating reality for such a long time, Sasuke was ready to lose himself in Naruto's effervescent warmth. He felt like a man who'd travelled a barren desert on his own for weeks, only to finally stumble onto a rich oasis that could offer him a much-needed sanctuary. He _wanted_ this man, and this man wanted him. It couldn't be more perfect.

Holding Naruto's expectant gaze, he closed the distance between them, pulling the other towards him until he was flush against his body. With one hand at Naruto's hip and another grasping the back of his head, Sasuke's fingers slid through the thick hair at the other's nape.

"Naruto," he murmured, the tip of his nose rubbing against the other man's. He let out a breath as Naruto's arms rose to grip his biceps. The mere nearness of him already had Sasuke's skin tingling with sensation.

"Yeah?" Naruto replied, his voice husky with what Sasuke knew was desire. The need in his eyes was as crystal-clear as the blue irises that graced them.

Sasuke watched as the tip of a quick tongue moistened the lips he so desperately wanted to taste. Unable to help himself any longer, he caught those lips in a thorough kiss. Naruto's mouth instantly opened beneath his, his wet tongue meeting Sasuke's with an intense urge that left both men breathless. Sasuke's hands moved to cup both sides of Naruto's face, tilting it so that his tongue could delve even deeper into the silky cavern he was found so addicting. Deep, unsteady breaths rushed out of them as both men savored the flavor of each other's mouths yet again. A shiver went down Sasuke's spine when he felt Naruto's hands shift to caress his back in gentle, circular motions.

Sasuke mouth parted from Naruto's, his thumbs caressing the sides of his face. "I want you," he whispered almost reverently against his lips.

Naruto searched his eyes, his breath coming out in soft puffs against Sasuke's mouth. His grip tightened on the rocker's back. It was the only gesture that served as an answer before Naruto dove in for Sasuke's mouth, kissing him fiercely.

Sasuke moaned in response, allowing himself to be carried away by the piercing tidal wave of longing that the other brought forth from him. There would be no more denying himself of what he'd been craving for such an achingly long time. He was ready, and there would be no turning back now.

Naruto was kissing Sasuke as if he wanted to devour him, their faces tilting and angling continually as their tongues urgently mingled. The dark-haired rocker inhaled sharply when he felt strong hands slip beneath his shirt to caress the bare skin of his back. Sasuke's hands methodically ran down the length of Naruto's body, feeling every covered muscle and curve, before settling on his jean-clad rear-end.

Naruto gasped against Sasuke's mouth as he felt the other's hands squeeze his ass once, before anchoring Naruto so tightly against his groin that he could feel Sasuke's obvious hard-on. It was more than evident to Naruto just how badly Sasuke wanted this—how badly he _needed _this. He'd been in his shoes once; he too had craved for the warmth of someone who understood him, and once again, Naruto found himself feeling the same way. This emotional connection between them, coupled with the palpable pull emanating from the both of them, towards each other, served for a cocktail of desire that had Naruto's insides stirring with anticipation.

Without breaking their kiss, he let himself be pushed up against the parapet; Sasuke's body settling between Naruto's spread legs. The blond dancer's hands kneaded the smooth, lean muscles of the other's back, as Sasuke's hands moved to grip Naruto's hips, pressing their lower halves unbearably close against each other. Then, a mutual, slow grind commenced, Sasuke's hips rocking against Naruto's, who enthusiastically reciprocated. Naruto struggled for breath; his eyes closing as he felt the arousal shoot straight to his groin, his erection twitching within the unforgiving confines of his pants. A long minute of this continued until Naruto suddenly tore his mouth away with a moan, one particularly hard thrust of Sasuke's hips causing darts of pleasure to shoot up his cock.

"Sa-Sasuke," Naruto managed as the other's head dipped to suckle on his neck.

"Hmm?" the other hummed, preoccupied with the warm column of flesh.

"I really think that we should take this inside," he rasped, catching Sasuke's gaze once his face lifted.

Heaving a few deep breaths, Sasuke nodded hard before hauling Naruto into the apartment with him, carelessly shutting the sliding door behind them. They stumbled through the living room and into the hallway, until they reached Sasuke's room, which Sasuke managed to open, all while virtually attached to Naruto's mouth. Once inside the dark room, Sasuke pushed Naruto against door with his body, slamming it shut with their weight.

Naruto's arms wrapped around Sasuke's waist, his hands sliding downward until he could grope Sasuke's ass. He lifted his mouth from his so that he could nibble the other's earlobe. "How do you feel, Sasuke?"

Sasuke's eyes closed, his hands tightly gripping Naruto's moving hips. "Good," he murmured lowly.

"Do you have any idea of just _how_ good I can make you feel?" he whispered, now angling his head so he could nip Sasuke's neck.

Sasuke's mouth fell open at the sensation, his eyes nearly rolling back. His pants felt unbearably tight now. "H-how good can you…make me feel?" he managed to reply, albeit feebly.

Naruto detached his lips from the other's neck to stare at Sasuke head-on within the shadows. "I can make you feel _real_ good, Sasuke. I wanna make you feel real good." With that, he pushed the other backwards until Sasuke's legs hit the massive piece that was the other's bed, forcing him to sit.

Standing in front of Sasuke, Naruto reached down and dragged Sasuke's shirt over his head, tossing it absently to the side. The other man impatiently began to tug Naruto's own shirt upwards at the hem, and Naruto helped him, swiftly removing it. It promptly joined Sasuke's shirt on the floor.

Naruto could just make out the pale perfection of Sasuke's upper body with the sliver of moonlight that streamed through the window and past the curtain. He was a bit leaner than he was, but his upper half was tight with sleek, toned muscle. Naruto's hooded eyes ran the breadth of it, admiring the beauty, from the strong shoulders, down to the evenly formed abs. The man definitely worked out. He wanted to kiss every inch of the pale skin that he could get his hands on, and Naruto would make sure that he would, soon enough.

He saw the way Sasuke eyed his own chest and smirked a little. When it came to this, Sasuke was very easy to read, he thought with amusement. He then bent down and fiercely kissed the other, who eagerly responded until Naruto pulled back. He crouched, slowly moving downwards, laying wet, open-mouthed kisses alongside his neck, enjoying the sharp intake of breath the other gave at having his weak spot exploited. Naruto then rained kisses along his collarbone, before eyeing the two pink nipples below. With an eager expression, he latched onto one.

He licked and gently bit at the taut disk, which tightened even further against his tongue, sighing a little when he felt Sasuke's hands run along his shoulders to caress the back of his neck. After thoroughly lavishing it with attention, Naruto then repeated the same treatment to Sasuke's other nipple, licking furtively, as he ran his hand down Sasuke's sides. He lightly tugged it with his teeth until it popped out of his mouth. Sasuke responded with a quiet moan, the sound vibrating against Naruto's cheek, and causing another dull throb to shoot up his constrained dick.

He looked up at Sasuke, whose heavy-lidded, dark eyes reflected nothing but absolute desire. "Did you like that?" he husked, lifting a hand to lay it against the other's cheek.

Sasuke nodded, licking his swollen lips. "Yeah," he replied, still massaging Naruto's nape.

Naruto smiled a little, a wicked twinkle in his eye. "Good, 'cuz it's just the beginning," he assured him, his smile widening at the intake of Sasuke's breath.

He would make him feel _so_ much more, Naruto inwardly vowed.

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**A/N:** Okay, so originally this was going to be a lengthy chapter where all the edited good bits happened in one go. I _swear _I wasn't going to leave anyone hanging, but because this chapter ended up being so long (past 20,000 words long), I felt that this was the best place to cut it off and still give you something to chew on. Therefore, Part III is split into two halves. The second half of it will be posted in a few days. So once it's out, I encourage you to reread this half, along with the new one, to make it a complete experience.

A little tidbit worth mentioning is that the music referenced in this chapter, were songs I was actually listening to in the process of writing it. Good stuff. I also really want to thank the new readers of this story who let me know on Tumblr, y!G, and on here, just how much they loved this fic to want another part. I really wasn't sure if the emotional message was being felt, but I was proven wrong. I also want to thank the lovely telracsgomesu for taking on the betaing. You did a good job, bb! And thank you to the wonderful Dákkar for the fan art! It is beyond presh. If you want to see the full image, you can go to the link in my profile. Anyway, thanks to all the reviewers of this story, and be on the lookout for the second half.


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